Rather Be
by trilliumgt
Summary: Insight to Sakura and Sasuke's first date, their marriage, the birth of their daughter.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** Hey guys. Been awhile! Just a few little comments to fill you in. I have this finished and it runs about 15 chapters. The rating will go up to M eventually (wink) And there is a semi-sequel coming out. What I mean by that is, you don't have to read this, in order to understand it and vice a versa. The stories however do connect. I started writing the other one first and realized I wanted to write how Sasuke and Sakura got together too so I ended up with both... I will have that one started probably today too. All depend how long the baby sleeps :) Thanks for sticking with me. And as always, comments and critics appreciated.

* * *

 **Prologue**

Sasuke took his time walking through the village. With his black eyes ahead of him, he paid no attention to the distractions going on around him. Parents rushed their kids by with a sudden fear while fellow Shinobi and the younger generation gawked in wonder. Words like, 'Uchiha.' and 'Sharingan' were whispered behind hands as he passed by.

But Sasuke had no interest in them.

Konoha was changing. Construction was in multiple parts of the village and machines blocked pathways causing him to detour more than he would have liked. But eventually, he made it to his compound. The large, thick doors were shut. A long wooden log laid across the front with the message, 'Keep Out' written in red paint. 'Restricted area.'

It took one slash of his sword for the giant piece of timber to fall and the doors to creak open.

The streets were weed ridden, the roads cracked by brush. Every store was empty and yet full of unsold goods and uneaten, rotten food. Animals scattered by, confused by the intruder in their home. It was familiar to walk the same road as he done most of his childhood. He could still recall walking this path with his mother to do the weekly food shopping. Or running along with Itachi on the way home from training. The memories were faded and far away, but they did not cause pain anymore.

Sasuke stood at the gated entry to his childhood home. The house that was enormous when he was younger now seemed smaller somehow. Ivy grew up the sides and sprouted beautiful white flowers over the door. The grass itself hadn't been cut in over fifteen years and had grown into a forest of wildflowers and wisteria. The trees had nearly eaten half of the house, taken off part of the roof.

It stood as a symbol. Despite the weeds, the broken shutters, and the blood that soaked its floors, it was still standing.

Footsteps sounded beside him and with a single glance, Sakura approached and set a bucket down at her feet full of brushes. She gave him only a smile, before looking on the house, mentally making a list of everything that needed to be and in what order it needed to be done in. Naruto came from the other side with a mop and a broom over his shoulder. He grinned for a moment before grimacing, already hating the work that's to come. And Kakashi had a hose hanging around his arm as he walked up behind them.

They all stood together, silent, waiting for him.

Sasuke took a step forward, only to find that it wasn't as hard as he thought it was going to be.

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

What are the odds that it would snow? Sasuke watched from the street as snow continued to fall at a brutal pace onto his unbuilt house. He was currently in the process of putting on a roof and two days before he was finished, it snowed. He hadn't even had the chance to put a tarp on. It was three in the morning. He couldn't go and buy a tarp now either. Would the floors be ruined? What if it got into the plumbing and froze the pipes and in the process, they break?

Sure, he knew next to nothing about building a house, which was why he was taking on this project.

"Hey!"

Walking quickly toward him was Nao, a neighbor from two houses down. He was carrying a big blue bag with difficulty as the only one leaned heavily on a cane. "I knew you'd need this. Hurry it up, put it on."

With great speed, Sasuke snatched the tarp and wrapped it around his half-made roof and covered the rest from any further damage. He dropped down next to Nao who was shivering, rubbing his gloved hands against his puffy jacket.

"Thank you."

"You shouldn't have any damage, just sweep out that snow now before it has time to melt. I can't really help with my bad back but if you need advice. I've built my fair share." He laughed and patted Sasuke on the arm before darting off to his house again.

Sasuke got a broom and swept out the snow. He looked out the backyard where the frozen lake sat, a vast valley of white. Across the way, where the dock stretched out was an empty playground he had recently constructed. Lights lit the area well. It was fenced in to keep any kids from exploring to the water. He had yet to see a child play there but with time, it would happen.

Once he finished, he returned to his parent's house. A year ago the house was condemned. It took a few weeks but he managed to fix everything that neglect had caused to it. The front yard, though now covered in snow, had become a beautiful garden with the perfect symmetry of flowers and trees. There was a sign at the entrance that read 'Historical Monument of the Uchiha Sacrifice.' He kicked his shoes off and hung up his coat in the hall closet, warming his hands up by the heater he had placed at the entrance.

When he had first entered the house back then, the smell had been rancid. Full of death, mold, and rancid food. Naruto had walked in and instantly ran out to throw up on the sidewalk. But now it smelt of vanilla, jasmine, and honeysuckle. And no matter the day or month of the year, it was always warm here. He made sure of it.

On the walls, hung multiple artifacts and depictions of what had happened to the Uchiha. It was a chronoical order of events right down to Itachi's decision. In each room, there were names of all the victims, pictures and personal objects of different people of the Uchiha clan. It even went on to tell how the Konoha government had persuaded and desired the end of the Uchiha.

But of course, being that this was a government building, Sasuke had to dumb it down a little and make it seem like it was the fault of some miscommunication. It was the only way he could clear Itachi's name.

Upstairs his parents, and Itachi's room were open to the public. Itachi's Akatsuki's coat was hung up and his connection in that notorious clan went on in detail how even still he was doing what he thought he needed to do to protect Konoha.

In the room where his parents had died, their outline marks the wooden floor. Sasuke had it wrapped with red rope, so people could come in and look at it. It was a slap in the face tactic. So, people that could just roll their eyes at all this could see for themselves death was here, it was real, and all of this needed their attention.

But until Sasuke could finish building his house, he was stuck living here.

It wasn't bad most of the time but occasionally when the house was silent, and the TV was off, he could hear his mother humming.

One of the reasons the TV was never off.

Sasuke laid on his bed, staring at the screen, clicking through the channels mindlessly. He threw out every piece of childhood furniture and bought new belongings to fit who he was now. He would take all of this to his new place once it was finished.

When an hour past and he still couldn't fall asleep, he got up and sat at his desk, flipping on the light. Papers were neatly stacked in color-coded folders. Taking out the blue one, he opened it up and looked at his finances.

Currently, he was in the negative because of the multiple projects that he had going on.

After cleaning up the entire neighborhood, Sasuke opened the doors to the public. Needless to say, no one wanted to step foot in the Uchiha compound. Along with it being 'cursed', they were simply scared of him as a person.

First, he lowered all the rates to his shops and houses. He was the lowest in the entire village. Next, he went to people that had been colleagues when he was younger and approached them with business ideas. Now obviously, he's not a talker. It was Naruto that did all the talking and the joking and the coaxing, while he just stood by and gave a nod if any questions were directed at him.

That gave way to two people. TenTen opened a weapon's shop and Ino opened a second flower store. It took months for new strangers to enter the village and when they heard about the monthly rates of his shops, they didn't care one bit about any curse. Now one year after coming home, there were twelve shop owners and seven families living in the Uchiha compound.

He knew he couldn't keep their rates that low forever, so they all were on a yearly increase rate until they hit a mark that got him out of the red.

Despite bleeding money, however, he was still rich. He inherited money from every member that Itachi killed. Plus, Konoha felt that they owed him interest. He donated half his income to the orphanage that cared for him when he was younger and secretly invested in orphans across the village, making sure they are well cared for.

Somehow, it didn't feel like it was enough. He had too much to atone for. It was his responsibility to atone for not only his own sins but for Itachi's as well. It was an impossible thing to accomplish when every person Itachi offended was dead.

He felt lips at his ear, "Sasuke."

Sasuke snapped awake, bolting straight. His mother's voice distant in his ear. He rubbed at it, shaking his head. He woke because his front door opened.

Sasuke stood from the desk. His back cramping from falling asleep in a weird position. He stretched and headed downstairs to find Hinata at the front entrance removing her coat. She smiled warmly, "Good Morning, Sasuke-san." She held fresh flowers in her hand like she did every day, having past Ino's shop on the way in. "I'm sorry I'm late."

He glanced at the clock in the kitchen. It was 8:15 am.

"You can go home." He told her, moving into the kitchen to pour himself some juice.

"No, please. I like working here. It makes me feel better."

He nodded, and she smiled warmly, changing out the flowers on the dining table. When she went to move the chair, Sasuke practically jumped over and snatched it out of her hand.

She giggled. "I'm pregnant, Sasuke-san. I'm not handicapped."

He held on to it, glancing about, wondering where she wanted it.

She pointed to the window "I want to dust the curtains."

Sasuke returned the chair to the table, "I will hire someone for that."

"There's no need."

"Just do the job that you are assigned to do."

Hinata bowed her head with a soft smile. "Yes, Sasuke-san."

"I'm going out."

"Have a good day."

Sasuke slammed the door behind him. Will she do what he told her, or will she disobey? Should he check and make sure she doesn't get up on the chair? Does he care that much?

No. If she wants to fall, she can fall.

Sasuke walked to the market. His footsteps crunching on the snow. At least two inches covered the ground, but it was a soft snow and would melt by tomorrow. It was still freezing out and he tucked his hand into his pocket wishing he hadn't forgotten his glove.

At Nao's breakfast shop, he bought miso soup to warm up too. While he was sitting there, Amaya ran up to him. She was his realtor for the Uchiha Compound. She wrapped herself up in a blue snowsuit and every move she made could be heard for miles. "Sasuke-sama, we have a problem."

He continued to sip his soup, waiting patiently for her to spit out whatever it was.

"I can't get a hold of Sakura and Naruto. But these people want to see a house." She pointed to the couple a hundred feet away, confused and freezing. "I can't leave the office because Jiro called out today. Can you take them?"

He was sure this would be a bad idea, but he needed to sell his houses. Sasuke shrugged and finished his soup quickly and followed her.

The couple walked a few steps behind him as he brought them further into the compound. Now normally there would be a long speech about the greatness of the land, the beauty of the silence, the serenity of the lake, and the great wholeness of the community that would go into the walk but Sasuke didn't feel much like talking. They continued in silence till they got to the house and he pushed the door open for them.

They looked at him, expecting more but he only stared back. They had a piece of paper in their hand that gave them everything they needed to know. He needn't say anything.

After a good half hour, they came out again with smiles on their faces, impressed with the floor plan. "The furniture is included too? With that price?"

Sasuke nodded.

"That's amazing. This really fits us." The husband looked at his wife and they smiled adoringly at each other. "But I do have one question."

Sasuke sighed.

"There's this rumor and I got to know. Did anyone die here?"

"No."

That's what he should have said. That's what he thought about saying. That's what he really wanted to say. But unfortunately, when he opened his mouth, it just didn't come out that way.

"There's a bloodstain on the roof were Kano Uchiha was stabbed three times. Over there by the mailbox, their son Keiji age five was sliced in half. And here were you are standing, Tamika Uchiha was screaming and crying as she watched her son die but then she too was murdered, and her blood splattered these steps. We've painted over it however."

On his way back to the market, Amaya was waiting outside the realtor office with her foot tapping. "How am I going to sell these houses if you keep telling horror stories! You're sick!" She slammed the door behind her.

He kept walking. A typical Uchiha morning.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: I'm used to the silent treatment, but it won't stop me! I'll get you talk sooner or later.

* * *

Chapter 2

Sasuke sat down at the table by the window. There was a fire in the center of the room keeping the restaurant warm and amiable. It was one of the reasons he liked it here. There were huge bay windows looking over into the river. Though it was frozen and there was frost on the window, it was a beautiful sight to see. He scoffed, taking ahold of his hot chocolate. He was getting pathetically nostalgic staying in the village.

"Oh, I want one too." Sakura greeted with a smile. She removed her big pink winter coat, revealing her white doctor's took a notebook out of her briefcase and instantly went about writing notes.

He ordered one for her.

"What's that?" Naruto asked as he came crashing in. The host at the door was speaking a fast Korean language, pointing to the mass amount of snow he had managed to drag in but somehow Naruto heard nothing, dropping all his study books on the table. "Get me one."

Sasuke raised his hand to the waitress, ordering another.

In less than a minute, Naruto smacked his head on the table. Once a week, it seemed the amount of studying broke him, and he shattered at the lunch table. "I don't think I can do this anymore." He whined. "There's so much to memorize. Why are there so many people in the world!"

Sakura barely paid attention, using her free hand to rub his arm absentmindedly. "You are almost there. Only four more years."

Nartuo put his hands over his head, "Why'd you have to say that?"

Sakura winked at Sasuke with a wide smile. "Just think though." She leaned in whispering, "When you are all done, you'll be Hokage and you won't ever have to open a book again."

Naruto popped his head up, "That's true."

Their hot chocolates were placed down before them and Naruto snatched his up instantly taking a gulp. Only to scream like a little girl and dance in a circle as he cried having burned his tongue.

Sasuke hid his smile behind his cup, watching Sakura laugh instead.

The food came and before Sakura had time to take a bite, her beeper went off. She snatched up her jacket and stuffing her notebook into her bag. "Sorry, boys. I will see you both tomorrow." She quickly ran out.

Sasuke took a bite of his sushi roll staring at her empty seat before flipping his gaze out the window.

"So." Naruto began, stuffing a dumpling into his mouth, "Have you made your move yet?"

Sasuke brought his eyes back to his food. "What move?"

"Come on! On Sakura!"

Sasuke remained silent, eating another roll.

Naruto leaned in, "She's waiting for you, Sasuke. You know that right? She's already told you multiple times that she loves you. I don't know what else you want. If you think she's going to do everything, I'm sorry, it's not going to be that easy."

He tapped his chopsticks on his plate. "Like what?"

"A date for one."

"Doing what?"

"Hanging out together. Look, how about this. I won't come to lunch anymore. Then you guys can have lunch alone. I'll say I"m busy with studying because really, I am."

Sasuke clenched his teeth. He didn't like this plan. She would realize it and he would feel stupid and it would make it all the more awkward. He'll have nothing to talk about and the silence would grow and Naruto won't be there to break up the weirdness. But how to tell that to Naruto without sounding lame?

"Sasuke. You like her, right."

"Shut up."

Naruto chuckled. "Then do something. She's not going to wait forever."

* * *

Sasuke held a to-go box in his hand and waited by the nurses' station. There were whispers and girlie giggles and with one little glance, they group of hens went haywire, darting from his sight to talk about him from the bathroom.

He hated coming here.

Sakura exited a room, holding a clipboard in her hand. She stalked up to the counter calling out to one of her nurses only to find them missing. She looked around confused before spotting him. "Sasuke? What are you doing here?"

He held out the box, "You didn't eat."

Her eyes widened, and she looked down at it in surprised. "OH," Her hand reached for it blindly, "Thank you."

Then there was that awkward silence he dreaded.

Sasuke spun on his foot, "See ya."

He stepped into the elevator and waited until the doors closed. His head hit the wall.

Was he really to the point where he needed to take pointers from Naruto? Is that where he was in life?

Why did anything need to change? He liked things the way they were. There was a routine. They had lunch every day. They trained together on Saturdays and did movie night. He was perfectly content with the space that was between the three of them. So why did Naruto want to ruin that?

Naruto believed because he was married and about to have a kid that he suddenly had an insight to girls.

There was no reason for life to change. Sakura was fine with the relationship they had. Wasn't she? She didn't press for anything further. She continued on keeping the appropriate distance that made him comfortable. She was welcome in his space and she knew that.

He'll admit, there were times, when they were alone, he thought about something more. A month ago, Naruto left movie night early, Hinata had called him home for some important news. But it left them alone. They were both sitting on the couch and though nothing else changed, not their position, not the movie, not the temperature in the room, Sasuke was afraid to move.

Her feet buried under his thigh, 'My feet are cold.' She whispered but it was natural. She'd do random things like that. She appeared unbothered by Naruto's absence. And she should be. He was the one overthinking it.

And he had wondered then later that night, why hadn't he done something more? He knew how Sakura felt. And he was beginning to understand how he felt. Sakura was...it. There was no other woman that would compare. No other woman that he could ever let into his life. She was the only person for him.

Sasuke made it back to his house and rested his back against the door.

Why couldn't they continue as they were?

Naruto. Always Naruto putting thoughts into his head. Making it seem as if time was running out. Time was all he had right now. He put off being a NInja to find a life. It's amazing how much time he actually had when he wasn't searching for revenge and death.

He'd be a horrible boyfriend.

He'd be an even worse husband.

What kind of father would he be?

This was a downward spiral. This was exactly why he didn't think about this shit.

* * *

To rid himself of the building aggravation, Sasuke went to work on his house. He used a wind jutsu to blow all the snow away and got to work on the roof. Each plank had already been precut, all he needed to do was hammer them in the proper place. Using a clone, he was able to finish the second half in a few hours. The planks took longer because of the hundreds of nails he had to use. And by the time he finished with that, the sun was down.

He stood up, satisfied it was finished. All he needed to do was put the individual shingles on and that would be a project for tomorrow.

"It's looking good."

He snapped his head to the right, finding Sakura coming up the snow-covered sidewalk. She was curled up in her coat with a scarf and hat in an attempt to keep her warm, but her cheeks were red and she was shivering.

"It's cold. Go home."

"I brought dinner. Since you brought me lunch." She removed a small bag from the inside of her coat.

He nodded toward his family's place. "I'll be in in a minute."

She nodded and turned back up the hill.

He watched her for a few minutes. The hill was sometimes slippery. No point in dinner being ruined because she fell. As soon as she made it to the house, his eyes went to the lake. This would be a good opportunity. He could ask her out somehow. What would he say? How would he say it? It would all sound so stupid. Why did he have to say anything at all? Couldn't she just figure it out?

Why couldn't Itachi have taught him anything about girls?

Sasuke made it to his house and kicked the snow off his shoes before he entered. The house was warm the sweet smell of vanilla filled his lungs. The simply smell made coming home a bit more bearable. It hid the ghost. It made it seem less empty.

He took his coat off and hung it in the closet, stalling upon finding Sakura's. It was an odd thing to see. Her shoes were all there, and he placed his beside hers as well. He stared at them.

Is this what it was like to live together with someone?

He stepped into the kitchen and she greeted him with a smile, "Welcome home."

The memory of it, of his mother standing in the exact place she was, with the same smile, the same expression of love.

This was why he was leaving this house. So these types of memories didn't unfold like this. He needed new memories, unsoiled and pure.

"Sit down." He told her plainly.

With confusion, she obeyed. Sakura shook it off, removing the food from the bag. "Did you get much done?"

Sasuke took out drinks from the refrigerator and sat down beside her. "The roof is almost finished."

"How much more?"

"There is still plenty to do. Another month I suspect. If I am not hindered by snow."

Sakura swallowed her food before replying, "That's not too long."

"Eight months is too long for a house."

"It's a large house."

He shrugged, grabbing more noodles.

"Why did you make it so big? If it's just you?"

Sasuke stared at his food. He hadn't thought about that. It's a four-bedroom house. Two stories with three bathrooms. He had just begun to build not really thinking of why. He shrugged, "I intend to sell it." He stated, though he hadn't really thought that far ahead.

Sakura stalled in her bite. "You are building this house, with your bare hands...hand, only to sell it? You can't do that."

"It is only a house."

"Your first house. That's all you."

He didn't reply, having said what he had already wanted.

"Well, that sounds stupid to me." Sakura bit.

"I didn't ask."

She took another bite, silently aggravated.

And then there was silence. Sasuke knew she was upset and that only made the silence thicker. He took a sip of his drink, his eyes only daring enough to look at his food, the table, and his hand.

Is this what a date would be like? This awful strangeness? Who would want this? What's the point of a date anyway? To get to know each other, right? Well, they already knew each other good enough so did they even need to date? Can't they skip that phase? Was there a set of rules he had to follow somewhere that said he had to date Sakura before he married her?

AND wait a minute, who the hell said he wanted to get married?

Sakura yawned, a big tiresome yawn that made him smirk.

She laughed, apologizing.

The weird silence ended.

"Work was crazy. There was an explosion at the new power company today. Four people had their limbs nearly sliced from their bodies. I was able to reattach three but the fourth had to come off. It was a bummer. He was young. Hopefully though we can get him a new leg." Her eyes widened, "Which reminds me, when are you going to try to get your arm?"

Sasuke looked down. He had forgotten he was missing it. It still felt like it was there.

"I don't need it."

"Think of how much easier it would be to build your house if you had two arms."

That was true. But that's what clones are for.

"I'll make you an appointment. Okay, I'm going to go home and sleep." Sakura got up, throwing her food in the thrash before walking past him. Her hand barely graced his shoulder as she left, "See you tomorrow."

It was here. This was his chance to ask her out.

Sasuke got up and walked to the kitchen entryway, leaning against the doorframe as he watched her put on her shoes. He stuck his hand in his pocket, contemplating the best way to say it.

She grabbed her coat and each arm went into the sleeve. She zipped it up. Sakura smiled, "I love the snow. As cold as it is." She waved and walked out the door.

The door shut, and he stood there staring at it.

"Pathetic."

* * *

Author's Note: Review!


	3. Chapter 3

**_Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews guys! I know the chapters are small but little tidbits here and there I think help make a love like theirs grow. Be sure to check out my other story called Continues to Beat. They match up and by reading them at the same time, I think you can find the little pieces better._**

* * *

chapter 3

It was five in the morning and Sasuke laid awake staring at the TV. Sleep had been difficult for most of his life for obvious reasons but right now, it's just being in this house. Every creek of the staircase was a whispering ghost. Every curtain blowing by a windless breeze was a relative attempting to speak from beyond the grave. Lights went on and off. Doors shut for no reason. They were here, breathing the same air as him but voiceless, invisible, and angry.

Or it was all his imagination and he was slowly losing his mind.

He kept flipping the channels till he threw the remote and stared blankly at the screen hoping by lying still sleep would somehow sneak up on him. Infomercials really were the worst at this time in the morning. A cat bag? Really? Who would ever need a bag to carry around a cat?

Sasuke sat up straight noticing Sakura standing in his doorway. The light of the TV lit only the side of her face, her pink long hair pulled over her shoulder. She wore her winter coat still but she had no shoes on. Or pants.

"What are you doing here?"

She approached, her face dipping into shadow. He could only make out the edges of her form and heard the zip of her coat. It dropped to the floor. The tops of her white bare shoulders visible along with the outline of her naked hips.

Sasuke put his feet on the floor, a half-hearted attempt to stop her but she came upon him too quickly, sitting on his lap, straddling him. Her arms encircled his neck. He could feel her heat, the weight of her body, the very pressure of her breasts pressed against his chest.

He couldn't move, his hand out to the side, unsure what to do, where to put it, if he should push her off or grip her hip. She was staring at him. Her green eyes barely visible but there, meeting his own, daring him, begging him to make a move.

"Sakura."

She opened her mouth.

"Meow."

He shot open his eyes finding the TV. A cat jumped into a bag with it's happy human cradling it. He looked around the room. He was definitely alone. He cursed underneath his breath, rubbing his face. He breathed heavily, his body in a state of hiatus, wondering what the hell happened to the naked girl.

He got to his feet and dressed only in his sweatpants, Sasuke went into his backyard. Blown snow colored the back patio and burned his toes but he continued nonetheless toward the corner stone where a punching bag hung from a structural beam.

With each punch and kick, his focus became more precise and he lost all feeling. The cold no longer bothered him, the sexual desires did not phase him, and the long stem of loneliness had no effect here. It was just him.

He kept up his routine till the sun rose and his knuckles were bleeding.

Sasuke stepped out onto the snow, following a muted path of dead flowers and hidden stone. In the far back was a clearing and there were three crosses side by side. He dropped down in his usual spot and prayed. He felt complete when he sat here. Like this spot was made for him. He knew he was left alive for a reason. There was still some unfinished business he needed to accomplish. He wouldn't fail them despite how badly he wanted to be with them.

By the time he stood, he was shivering. His lips were blue and his hand was numb. Usually the cold doesn't affect him but he had been out here too long with nothing on.

When Sasuke got back in, Hinata was already there. She was holding up a jacket with a warm smile. He thanked her while putting it on and then she handed him a cup of soup and he again was grateful. She went about her business after that, preparing the house for visitors.

"Tomorrow there is supposed to be a blizzard." He told her, "We will close for the weekend. On Monday, I will have someone here to clean."

"The weekends are our busiest times. But I supposed there is no stopping a blizzard."

Sasuke sat in the same seat at the same table at the same restaurant at the same time. It was routine and he found nothing wrong with it. In his hand he sipped on a hot chocolate waiting for Naruto and Sakura to show. He stared at the window watching some kids play over by the bridge. They were flying a kite. It may be a sunny beautiful day but the wind was the worst. It was perfect kite flying weather and he wondered where he could go to get a kite of his own.

Sakura sat down with a smile, "That looks like fun."

He had already ordered her a hot chocolate and the waitress brought it right over. Sakura smiled and thanked her, taking a tentative sip. Sasuke watched her, his eyes resting on her lips, only for his dream to pop up in his head and his cheeks to redden. He turned away and watched the kids.

And this was the day, Naruto wasn't coming.

Son of a B-

"Naruto's late."

"He's busy." Sasuke replied darkly.

"Oh." She sipped her drink. "It's going to get worse when the baby comes. We are going to have to get used to just the two of us."

He stared at her, "What's there to get used too?"

Her brows went up, "I mean. I meant. I didn't mean anything by it. Just Naruto's so talkative. And you're...not."

"What do you want to talk about?"

Her mouth bobbed for a moment. "Um.." She shook her head, "Nothing really. It's just easy to talk to Naruto."

"What's easy about it?"

She smiled, "Sasuke, conversation is not your strong suit. And that's okay. I wasn't insulting you. We don't have to talk. Did you order yet?"

Sasuke lifted his hand to wave for the waitress.

"Oh, what did you do?" Sakura grabbed his fingers pulling his hand closer to her eyes. "Tsk. The punching bag again? Did you sleep at all?"

"I slept enough."

Her green chakra glowed as it poured over his skin healing the burning of his cuts.

The waitress walked up to them and they ordered.

Sakura touched his knuckles, her touch, a soft tickly on newly made skin. He thought about pulling away but it wasn't _not_ enjoyable. She let his hand go.

"What nightmare did you have?"

Sasuke turned his eyes to the window. What are the odds she asking this freaking question and it was a sex dream about her? Out of all the times Naruto isn't here, why today!

"Was it about Itachi?"

"No."

"Your parents?"

"No."

"You know it's better if you talk about it."

"I've talked enough."

She scoffed but out of the corner of his eye, he saw a smile on her lips. "I think I've proven my point about conversation."

He met her gaze, "There is conversation about day to day achievements that I am privy too and then there are conversations about which person did I murder that haunts me in my dreams that I do not think is relevant to day-to-day living. Can we agree on that?"

"To an extent. To ignore your past can only affect your day-to-day so therefore it becomes relevant. Any psychologist can tell you that."

"And were you a phycologist I might heed your advice but as you are not, stick to your field and mind your business."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "This is what I'm talking about. You suck at conversation."

Sasuke threw his gaze out the window. She was supposed to storm off so they wouldn't have to have this awkward lunch together anymore but there she went, surprising him by sticking around.

"Not every conversation is a battle." She began. "But you attack it like you want to win."

Sasuke let his upset diminish. He sighed and replied, "Don't I?"

"What?"

"Win?"

Sakura laughed. He smirked but took a sip of his drink to hide it.

* * *

Exhaustion caught up with him by four in the afternoon. Sasuke didn't even want to work on the house. Sleep was his main objective and sleep was what he was going to do. He dropped in the bed and closed his eyes, instantly feeling the weight of his eyelids.

"Sasuke!"

Naruto screamed from downstairs.

Sasuke covered his head with the pillow but sure enough Naruto's fat feet pounded up the staircase and entered his room.

"What are you doing?" Naruto attempted to the pull the covers but Sasuke clenched them tight.

"What does it look like?"

He threw himself on the bed, laying next to him. It got quiet for a while.

Sasuke peaked an eye out. Naruto was already snoring. With a jealous rage, Sasuke kicked him in the rib and Naruto fell out of the bed. Popping up on his knees, he growled, "What the hell was that?"

"What do you want?"

Naruto got back on the bed and rested his back against the headboard while Sasuke sat up, running his hand through his hair.

"How'd it go today? With Sakura?"

"Fine."

"Did you ask her out yet?"

"No."

"Why not?"

Sasuke picked at a thread in the blanket, "It wasn't a good time."

Naruto laughed, "What? Are you afraid?"

Sasuke smacked him with a pillow. "No."

"Then what?"

He crawled off the bed, searching in his closet for a new shirt. Not that the shirt that he had on now was dirty but if it got him away from Naruto then he needed a better one.

Naruto scratched his head, "Don't you think you've wasted enough time?"

His hand rested on one shirt, unable to move on to another.

"It's been, what, ten years since you first left. All that time, she's been waiting for you."

"I never asked her too."

"But she did." Naruto bit.

Sasuke said nothing. How could he defend himself? He knew every path he ever chosen had been wrong. The regrets he had were plenty. It seemed they kept adding up.

"Naruto." Hinata's voice came from downstairs. "I'm ready to leave."

"I'm coming." He stood and went to the door. Naruto glanced back around, "If you want to be alone forever, I'll be here with you. But one way or the other, you got to tell her something. She needs to move on, Sasuke."

Sasuke dropped his gaze to the floor but he couldn't let it go. He went out after him, stopping at the top of the stairs, "Why now? Why does it matter now?"

He was putting on his coat as he came to the end of the stairs, looking up at him with a smile, "There's someone else I know that likes her. He doesn't have relationship issues."

"So? Why should that bother me?"

His brows knit in aggravation, "You're a selfish prick."

Hinata waved sweetly and pulled him along even as he continued to curse and slander.

Sasuke swung around, slamming his own bedroom door though they were already gone. He threw himself down on the bed, glaring. Naruto needed to mind his own business. If Sakura wanted to date someone, she can go ahead and do it. Let her get married to a worthless piece of shit. He didn't care. If she didn't want to wait for him to finally make a damn move than it was her loss.

He would move when he was good and ready. Not when it was convenient for someone else.

Selfish. He had every right to be selfish. The world had taken from him everything there was to take. Now it was his turn. If he wanted Sakura, he would have her. If he wanted her to wait for years and years, then she better freaking wait. Otherwise, she wasn't worth his time.

Sasuke rolled onto his back to stare at the ceiling.

And if he wanted to be alone...then he'd be alone...


	4. Chapter 4

_**Author's Note: Going good guys. Happy weekend!**_

Chapter 4

The blizzard began early in the morning. The winds were the first thing to wake him by the high pitched whistling coming from the cracks in the foundation. The trees they had cut from the side of the house had done some extensive damage and Sasuke had only done enough to keep it from collapsing. Now it seemed there would be worse problems including water leakage and mold. He would have to work on that after he finished his own house.

Attempting to sleep was pointless. The whistling kept sounding like shrill screams. It was bringing back too many memories of his stay with Orochimaru.

He went downstairs and lit the fireplace. There was a high probability that the electric would go out. When the blizzard ebbs, he will go around to his neighbors and make sure they made it through the storm and ask if they need any supplies. Most of them are young families from distant villages that had no care or knowledge of the Uchiha massacre. Only Nao was actually from this village and old enough to remember. He had even met Itachi once.

Sasuke glanced at his brother's photo on the fireplace mantel. It was a family photo with his mother and father, and himself all standing there. He was a stupid little boy, smiling, without troubles, without a thought to what would happen soon. Sasuke hated that little boy. Perhaps if he had been a better student, stronger in ways Itachi had been, he could have helped his brother solve the problems that were arising. There might have been another way.

But it's over now. What's done is done.

There was a reason he traveled. If he stayed in this place too long he began to think. And thinking made him so angry.

Sasuke grabbed a book from his father's study and sat on the sofa in front of the fire and began to read. And perhaps if it weren't for that damned whistling, he would have actually enjoyed it.

The phone rang around 10 and Sasuke hopped up to get it. "What?" He answered.

"This is the Konoha Police. We need your help. An apartment building collapsed by the South Gate. Two hundred people were inside."

Sasuke hung up and ran upstairs to get dressed.

The blizzard was still blowing gusts of over forty miles an hour and visibility was less than five percent with the snow that was piling down but with Susanoo wrapped around him, Sasuke felt none of it as the snow bounced off the guardian's skin. He flew to the South Gate and the first thing he saw was Sakura's giant healing slug sitting right outside the village. As he got closer, the scene of flashing red lights and rubble unfolded before him. A Barrier Ninjutsu wrapped around the building to keep the snow and wind from doing further damage as men and women attempted to shift through the crumbled cement to find any survivors. Hyuuga stood at the base of the building using their Byakugan to point to life that was still traceable.

Naruto crawled from the debris waving his hand. "I got one." He hollered, lifting a body up in front of him. A group of medical workers quickly came with a stretcher and a slug. They laid the unconscious form flat and the slug slithered onto its chest before hurrying off to an ambulance

Sasuke looked around for Sakura. She was just outside the barrier on her knees in the snow. Her hands clasped together in concentration as the black lines of her chakra danced across her face. She wore only her white medical jacket while she sat in the face of the blizzard.

He depleted Susanoo and fell to a crumbled stone. A worker went up to him with a flashlight and a bottle of water, offering what little information he had but Sasuke ignored him, following Naruto down into the hole, tracing the very delicate sides of the cement, hearing it as it creaked. Any sudden twist or bump and it could all come crashing down. They all knew that. And though Sasuke knew he could survive it, there were children underneath this rubble that couldn't. He could feel life forces, distant and dimly but there, seeking their help. Cries for attention echoed and it was hard to pinpoint where they were exactly. Some he couldn't get too. Using a Kunai he delicately cut through the stone, keeping a track of his surrounding so that any move he made wouldn't cause a collapse.

His first find was a little girl. He crawled through the hole, calling out to her, "Can you hear me?"

"Where's mommy?"

"What's your name?" He got to her side, flashing the light down her body to see the extent of the damage. Her leg was pinned and blood seeped the concrete. It was easy to see she would lose it.

"Luna. Who are you?"

"I'm going to help you. Drink." He put the bottle of water to her lips and she took a small sip, coughing.

Tears poured down her dirt covered cheeks, "I'm scared."

"How old are you?"

"Four."

"Be brave, okay? I will get you out."

Sasuke looked around. There was no way he could get that stone off of her without complicating matters. And he couldn't create a clone in this cramped space.

"Luna, I have to get you help."

Her tiny hand reached out and gripped his, "Don't. Don't leave me."

Sasuke sighed and nodded, clenching her hand in response. He brushed hairs out of her face and dusted the dirt off her. She was shaking from the cold and the bloodloss. She wouldn't make it if help didn't arrive soon. His Rinnegan watched her heartbeat and blood flow. Everything was slowing down. He managed to take off his cloak and wrap it around her, rubbing her arms, attempting to drive circulation.

A mind connection pushed its way into his head. He went stiff before realizing it was Ino.

 _Does anyone need help down there?_

 _I do_ Sasuke responded. _This girl needs her leg amputated. She doesn't have time._

 _We will send a team down._

As soon as the team arrived, someone else took the little girl's hand and he disappeared, searching for more survivors. With the help of Ino and the Hyuuga, they were able to find a hundred and ninety. The first floor occupants however where too buried and only four of them had survived. Five were elders and one was a baby crushed by the rubble. All dead by the fall and impossible to get too without causing cave ins.

By the time it was finished, the blizzard was over and night was approaching. Three feet of snow packed all around them. There were already cave-ins in other parts of the village but none as bad.

Sasuke and Naruto stood at a tent for the aids. There was food and drinks and after all the stress and work, he was starving. The two of them gathered a plate and sat with a group of friends to talk about the day's events. He listened to their stories, sharing none of his own. His eyes straying to the crowds, searching for Sakura.

Naruto nudged him, "She went to the hospital already."

Sasuke shrugged, "Who?"

He rolled his eyes, stuffing food in his mouth.

In the morning, Sasuke bought a stuff teddy bear from a passing booth and continued on his way to the hospital. The place was a wreck with hundreds of people and volunteers attempting to help but causing worse delay. He went around them and took the stairs to the third floor, the amputee section of the hospital wing. It was quieter here and there weren't any lines to speak to a nurse. He asked for Luna's room number.

"Who?"

His brows knit. "A little girl that was brought from the apartment collapse. She lost her leg?"

He shook his head, "I'm sorry, we never received a little girl."

Sasuke's eyes fell to the floor. That meant one thing. The blood loss must have been too much. He should have left when he told her. In that moment, it's minutes that matter and by waiting he had killed her.

He left the bear on the counter and walked out.

Sasuke sat in the silent stairway for a long time. Guilt weighed on his shoulders. This place was making him weak. Stupid mistakes like that was what cost people their lives. He should know better. He knew she needed help. His rinnegan had told him she was dying. But she had gripped his hand and he had stayed, to what? Comfort her? A lot of good that did, now that she's dead.

A door to the floor above him burst open and it got him to his feet, least someone catch him brooding. He hurried down the stairs.

"I'm up to my ass in patients. I can't take a break." They were talking on the phone. "Yeah, well, Sakura's out sick." Sasuke foot stalled. "So now we have to do it all. Girl took a wrong day to take a sick day. How she gets away with it is bullshit. It's because the Hokage and her are like weird close. I wouldn't be surprised if they have like, you know, some kind of-" Electric overload burst the phone making her squeal.

Sasuke had to follow the streets to make it to Sakura's place. The bulldozers were still working around the clock to make the town active again but some parts were being overlooked. Like Sakura's street. Homeowners were coming out with their own shovels to dig through the three feet of snow.

He knocked on her door and waited. Up to his knees, he was completely soaked. He didn't own snow appropriate clothes for it rarely ever snowed in Konoha. His feet were beyond frozen. He couldn't feel any of his toes. But he stood there, waiting somewhat impatiently for Sakura to open her damned door.

After knocking for a second time, Sasuke tried to turn the knob but it was locked. Using a little chakra, he cracked the doorknob and stepped in. "Sakura?" Her shoes were there and her coat was hung up.

He took off his shoes and snow piled on the floor. But at least the house was warm, almost too warm. He took off his jacket and sweater, leaving him only in a long sleeve-shirt and black pants. He even took off his socks because they were drenched.

Sasuke couldn't remember the last time he's been in her house. Perhaps never. He's been in her parents home, years and years ago, but never her own personal apartment. It was surprisingly empty, except for a few fake orchids here and there. And one main photograph: their team photo standing up on the bar ledge next to her house keys.

It was clean and looked almost unused. He went through her living room into the back where her bedroom was. The door was open and he tentatively knocked on the door, "Sakura?"

He peaked in and there she lay, asleep.

He thought about leaving but he noticed her red cheeks. He sat down beside her and pressed a hand against her forehead. Sure enough she was burning up. Sasuke got up and got a washcloth from the bathroom, soaking it in cold water and set it on her skin. The cool clothe woke her and her eyes slide open.

A smile drifted on her lips. "Sasuke."

"You're sick."

She nodded weakly, closing her eyes.

"You were stupid. You pushed yourself too hard yesterday."

She didn't reply for a long time and her smile fell. Sasuke thought she went back to sleep.

"I gotta save them." She suddenly sat up much to his surprise. Sakura looked around trying to figure out where she was. "They need help. I can hear them." Her hands went to her head. "They're crying."

Sasuke pushed her down, "Lay down. You saved them."

Her green eyes shot to him. "I did?"

"Yes. They're fine."

Her body relaxed and she fell back against the pillow. He pulled the blanket up over her again. She was panting and clenching her eyes shut. "Not little Luna." She whimpered. "Luna." Her hand covered her eyes. Sakura rolled on her side, away from him.

He stared at the back of her head.

Sakura was grieving with him over Luna. He wasn't alone in his loss. He wasn't alone in his blame and guilt. She was feeling the same things and yet, she could cry.

Was it wrong for it to feel...better?

* * *

Sasuke opened her cabinets.

He moved on to her pantry.

He shifted over to her fridge.

There was officially nothing to eat in this damned house.

What does she do? Eat out everyday? He didn't picture that. He figured she made meals for herself. Had friends over all the time. Had dinner parties. And yet from the look of her cabinets she had two plates. Two cups. And a handful of to-go chopsticks from dozens of different places.

He wrote a note and left it beside her bed telling her he was getting some food before heading to the door. Except at that very moment someone came knocking. And since the doorknob was broke, the door eased open on its own, and a face poked inside.

"Hello?" A strange man met him as he approached. "Oh, excuse me. The door kind of opened."

Sasuke glared standing in the foyer.

The newcomer scratched his cheek before stretching out a hand. "I'm Jonibi. Friends call me Jon. I work with Sakura." He dropped his hand. "I heard she was sick so I brought her some soup." He held the bag up.

Sasuke snatched the bag.

"Oh, um. Yeah okay. I guess I'll just go. Tell her I'll call her later."

Sasuke followed and bolted the lock behind him.

He put his eye against the peeping hole. 'Jon' stood there for a moment, completely confused before he climbed his way back up on the three feet of snow and slowly made his way out of sight.

"Dick."

Relieved he didn't have to go out into the snow, Sasuke looked in the bag. There was two big bowls of soup, bread, crackers, and a note. He snatched the note, reading it, 'Get better soon, beautiful.'

Sasuke set it aflame and dropped it in the sink, heading back into Sakura's room. He grabbed a couple pillows from the other side of the bed and propped it against the wall, sitting beside her, opening up the soup and dived in. It was the best soup he had in a long time.

It took some conjoling but eventually Sakura took a couple sips. She wasn't awake for long periods of time but whenever she opened her eyes, he had her taking a bit of the crackers and washing it down with the soup. Most of the time, she hasn't even aware of him. She was too tired to care or just plain delusional. He managed to get her take some medicine and that dropped her fever so that the next time she woke she looked at him with her normal green gaze.

She blinked, still unsure if she was seeing properly. "What are you doing here?"

He shrugged, clicking the channel.

Sakura looked down at herself, pulling the blanket up, noticing she wasn't wearing a bra, which he had noticed that from the moment she first sat up. "How long have you been here?"

He glanced at the clock. "Twelve hours."

Her eyes bulged. She ran her hand through her hair, suddenly remembering her hair and wondering what it looked liked. SHe combed her fingers through it hastily. She harshly robbed her face to get any gross stuff off her skin.

Sasuke pretended not to notice.

Her eyes landed on the soup. "Did you. Did you feed me?"

He shrugged.

"I'm going to go shower." She jumped up and ran to the bathroom, slamming the door.

She was in there for a good hour before popping her head out again. Her hair was wet but she was dressed in a clean pajama set with matching socks. It was humorous but he said nothing as she tentative sat on the bed, nervously tucking herself back in and glancing about, unsure what to do next. "So.."

"I'm going." He stood.

"Wait."

He could tell she was ready to go back to sleep. She was weak and needed more rest but she stayed up, looking at him.

Was she going to ask him one of those stupid questions, like why? When they were kids she always wanted affirmation about his feelings, always wanted to talk about them, like his actions weren't enough. It would have driven any man to be cruel simply by the fact that weakness is an unattractive attribute in a woman.

"I made an appointment for you tomorrow for your arm. It's at 12. Skip lunch and meet me there."

He studied her for a moment. Every time he expected her to act the way she used to, she didn't. He glanced about her room. It was bare with very limited essentials. None of the girlie things he would have imagined her to have.

It was almost as if he really didn't know her that well.

Maybe a date wouldn't be totally ridiculous.

He nodded and walked out the door.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Author's Note: These chapters are really small but they seem to be just enough...don't know what else to do. I'll just update faster I guess. Hope you like it.**_

* * *

Chapter 5

* * *

Today was the day. Sasuke was going to ask Sakura out on a date. He practiced the line all last night. He would be direct. He would be firm. None of that romancy-pansy bullshit. It would be private and somewhere with good lighting. They would meet up at the hospital. He would get his arm attached. She would walk him to the exit and he would say, "Meet me for dinner."

Or…

"Do you want to have dinner?"

Or…

"I have no plans tonight, do you want to do something?"

Any one of those WILL be said today.

And she of course will say yes and that will end Naruto's constant nagging and perhaps maybe he could finally get some peace on the damned subject.

Sasuke entered the hospital, taking the elevator to the third floor. Instead of a right where recovery is, he took a left down the hall. In the far back corner was the laboratory for reproductive tissue. He entered the room, searching for Sakura. Instead he found someone else.

"Hi!" Jonibi greeted with a great big smile.

Sasuke retreated.

"You got the right place," the man hollered, grabbing the door and ushering him in. "Sakura told me you were coming. You are Sasuke, right?"

Sasuke gave a hesitant nod.

"Good, good. Come in, sit down. Sakura will be here soon."

Sasuke eyed him but sat in the chair nonetheless. The light poured on him like a moonbeam and he had to close his eyes. Jonibi apologized moving the light in to focus on his arm. He rolled up Sasuke's sleeve without an invitation and looked at the amputation. He nodded his head, "This looks great." He murmured, touching the skin.

Sasuke flinched.

"Sorry. Still sensitive?"

He gave him a 'duh' look.

"I bet it was Sakura who did this. It looks amazing. The tissue is healthy. Everything was cut so perfectly. We will have no problem reconnecting the viens."

Sakura entered the room and Sasuke's shoulders relaxed.

"Hey." She greeted. She still looked tired. There were black bags under her eyes. She should have taken another day's rest. Her skin was pale. He wondered if she had eaten anything. But Sakura had a fake, dull smile on and leaned in next to Jonibi. "It looks great right? My best work."

Even her voice sounded weak. Sasuke eyed her but said nothing.

"You are a goddess at cutting limbs." He looked at Sasuke, "This girl can cut anything with her eyes closed and hands behind her back." He laughed, touching her arm.

Sasuke dropped his head back and stared up at the ceiling. Why did he come here again?

"You know," Sakura began, "I left my id card in my office, could you go get it?"

"We could use mine."

"I'd rather have it on my account, can you please?"

Jonibi quickly conceded and ran out the door.

Sakura popped her head into his field of vision, "Be nice."

"He's a moron."

"He's very good at his job and his job is reattaching that arm. Unless you want it backwards, be nice."

"I haven't said anything."

"It's only a matter of time."

She went over to the computer, swiping her card. He smirked. She glanced up and caught his gaze, surprising him. She winked.

Naruto thought this Jonibi guy was competition? He was a bigger fool than the actually fool. Sakura didn't see anyone but him. Not that he had been worried, or anything but this proved it. She was only being nice to the sucker because that's just who she is.

When he returned claiming he couldn't find it, Sakura pretended she had no idea and they went about using his card to access Sasuke's files. Jonibi brought the arm over and within two hours, the two of them had attached the prosthetic. They wrapped it up in a black sleeve but he knew something was wrong when he still couldn't move his fingers. They put a sling around his neck and propped the arm safety against his chest.

The next twenty-four hours would tell him if the arm would reject him or not.

He already hated it. It simply laid there lifeless, dragging him down. He felt like he was carrying luggage.

Sakura walked with him, telling him everything that he was feeling was normal and explaining that within the next few hours there will be tingling and blah blah blah. He didn't care. He almost wished they would take it back right now.

"Okay. I'll see you later."

Wait. Sasuke suddenly remembered he wanted to ask her something but now as he looked around, they weren't alone. There were strangers everywhere in the front entrance to the hospital. And the lighting wasn't the best. It had come upon him so quickly he wasn't prepared but he didn't want to chicken out either.

"Sakura."

She turned around.

He couldn't do it. Not here. Not like this.

Sakura smiled, "I'm going to watch the sunset after work. Meet me by the lighthouse so I can see how you're doing."

Was that a date? Did she just ask him out on a date? Or was that a doctor checking up on her patient? Or a friend being nice? He could call it a date though right?

When he tells Naruto, he can make it sound more like a date.

Naruto chewed on the tip of a pencil as he watched Sasuke pace. The library was relatively quiet and empty. Naruto had the back corner all to himself. Four books laid open on the vast table with dozens of papers strewn about. There was no method to his madness. How Naruto learned anything at all was beyond Sasuke's comprehension.

"I don't know. I don't think that's a date."

"She wants to meet. Alone."

"Yeah. But you're friends. Friends do that sometimes. And she's checking up on your arm. Which, can you feel it yet?"

Sasuke shook his head.

"I felt mine right away." He held up his fake arm, flexing the fingers. "It's just like the real one."

"I waited too long."

"Maybe. I don't know how it works. Did Sakura say anything?"

"No. But I saw a look."

"A look?"

"Her and that guy. They looked at each other."

Naruto smiled. "Oh. You met him." He leaned back with hands behind his head.

Sasuke shot a glare, "He's nothing."

"I don't know about that. I've seen them a couple times. They've had dinner."

Sasuke stopped pacing. "Dinner?"

"Oh yeah. Like at a restaurant."

Sasuke leaned against the table, his eyes to the floor. How could she have dinner with that weirdo? She wasn't seriously considering him as a potential suitor was she? The guy wasn't even a ninja! Sasuke himself might not be perfect but he was definitely better than that douchebag.

"You can salvage this." Naruto interrupted his thoughts. "You are going to be alone, in a very romantic spot, at sunset. Make your move. Ask her out. Kiss her. Do something!"

Sasuke walked away from him at that point. He needed to dwell on the new information alone.

Naruto yelled through the library, "Call me!"

"Shh!"

"SHhh!"

Sasuke smirked as he exited. He wrapped his cloak around him, finding it somehow more difficult with an extra arm in his way. He had gotten use to life without another appendage. Though the thought of having two arms again would make things easier. Like tying his shoes. Or building his damned house.

Even knowing he was an hour early, Sasuke went to the hill and stood on the edge of the cliff, staring into the lake. The waters, if they had frozen at all, were already thawed and flowing again underneath the strong sunlight. It had to be below thirty degrees out here on this precipice with the wind blowing even colder but the sun brought enough warmth to keep him from shivering.

Sakura arrived, late and apologetic. The snow was most difficult for her and she climbed her way through the three feet, falling and laughing in a hush attempt to make it to him. He actually found it humorous but allowed no smile to spread on his lips as he watched her.

She cleaned off the bench that was hidden underneath and patted the seat beside her, "Come on. The sun is almost gone."

He jumped from his position to the seat beside, bypassing the effort of crawling through and she scoffed at him.

"Sure, chose the easy way."

"You should be resting. It's too cold up here for you."

She stared at the sun, relaxing, perhaps not even hearing him. He turned his gaze too as it began to hit the horizon.

Sakura grabbed his arm and swung it over her shoulders, "I'm freezing." She whispered, snuggling deeper into his shoulder.

He couldn't move. Part of him wanted to react by pushing her away, the common tendency he had with all females that touched him without permission. But the other part of him, reminded him this wasn't any girl. It was Sakura, the only one he's ever allowed in his personal space.

"I have to tell you something." She began.

Sasuke forced himself to relax. This position was fine. Normal friends do this.

He could do this.

"Jonibi asked me today if we were dating."

His heart rate was increasing. This was getting uncomfortable. This was getting too real. Too much. He wanted to run. Why couldn't Naruto pick this time to do his famous interruptions!

"I said yes." She admitted.

Sasuke swallowed.

Sakura lifted her head, tilting it back to look at him. She was only an inch away. He met her eyes, he had never seen her green orbs so close before but they were gorgeous to look at.

"Am I wrong?"

She glanced down at his lips. Did she want him to kiss her? Because he realized he wouldn't mind it. All he had to do was lean down just an inch. He could feel his heart beat hard. This was it. The moment he needed and she was handing it to him. He had to be the one to close the gap. It had to be him. He was going to do it.

Sakura's beeper went off and she flung around to grab it. "Crap." She stood up fast, grinning as she did so. "Two and half minutes. Not a bad first date." She winked and ran off.

Sasuke sat on the bench a long time. A smile graced his lips.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Author's Note: Because this is so short, I'll probably have another chapter out by the end of the weekend. Keep up with the reviews! I'll post faster ;)**_

 _ **\- Chapter 6**_

Sasuke was hoping to sleep a little bit longer. He laid curled on his belly, hugging a pillow with his dead weight arm laid out on the side. He was warm and comfortable and didn't want to move. He had managed to finally get to sleep around three in the morning but now at eight he heard his front door open and Naruto call up the stairs. Soon enough his elephant feet began pounding up the wood steps and then he whipped open the door.

Naruto landed on top of him, grinning in his ear, "So you kissed?"

Sasuke elbowed him in the face which sent him reeling back and dropping on the carpet, holding his nose and rolling about like a baby.

Sasuke sat up, bringing his knee up to rest his chin on it, watching the show. He had left a note on Naruto's door last night that said 'It was a date,' but now he regretted sharing that detail.

Naruto touched his nose tentatively, bringing his hand back to see if there was any blood. "So? You kissed?" He grinned.

Sasuke threw a pillow at him, "Shut up. No."

"But it was a date?"

"That's what I said, didn't I?"

"Awesome. My two best friends!" He giggled like a schoolgirl.

"Get out of my room. No, get out of my house."

Naruto stood with his hands held up in surrender, "Alright, alright. Still want privacy for lunch right?"

Sasuke nearly grabbed him, "No!" He pulled himself back, calmly replying. "No. It's fine."

Naruto knit his brows. "Okay. Guess I'll see you ya then."

He waved and as soon as Naruto was down the stairs, Sasuke fell back against the bed. How freaking awkward would that have been? To have lunch all alone with Sakura now? While they're dating? Can he even look at her normal? OH, god, is she going to want to like, hold hands and stuff? What if she tries to kiss him? She's going to want to kiss!

Sasuke slapped a hand over his face.

* * *

Sasuke was determined to get through lunch like a man. So what, Sakura and him were dating now. They could still talk to each other like normal human beings. There would be no need for physical contact, like usual.

Nothing's changed.

So why couldn't he leave this dark alley?

What if Sakura's changed? What if she becomes a giggly, blushing, clingy, psycho girl that used to drive him crazy in his genin days?

This was a mistake.

How to undo this?

He'll leave a note. A note sounds good. He'll send a note.

Sasuke stepped out of the alley heading in the opposite way but the word coward flashed in front of him and it got him turned around. Sasuke Uchiha would not coware. There was no enemy that he could not face. And right now, that enemy, was a relationship. He would defeat it like any other foe, with cold and ruthless fury!

"Sasuke Uchiha?" A deep voice called from behind.

He turned around and was greeted by ANBU. He mentally rolled his eyes. "What?"

"The Council would like to meet with you."

"I'm having lunch."

"They request your presence immediately."

He clenched his teeth. He could see into the restaurant. Naruto and Sakura were already seated. She had a smile on her face but her eyes kept popping up, looking for him. She was tired and her skin was pale but she was still attempting to appear unhindered by her illness. Sakura brought her attention back to Naruto and laughed at his joke.

Sasuke followed the ANBU begrudgingly.

It was always dark in the Council chambers, like they couldn't afford their electric bill so they lit random candles instead. There were ten members, old and ugly looking men that filled the round table, leaving a seat empty for him. He didn't sit. He stared at each individual, having already memorized each of their faces.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice."

"Like I had a choice. What do you want?"

"There has been some concern about the name of your historical building and it was brought to our attention by a very influential partner."

Sasuke clenched his fist. "There is no emergency? Then this could wait. I'm free in an hour." He spun on his foot.

"Uchiha."

THe door was blocked but it wasn't what stopped him.

"You are free by our generosity. Do not take our kindness for weakness."

Sasuke faced them. "I take your weakness for weakness. My partnership with you does not make you my warden or my master. If you want to meet with me, then you ask."

"Our apologies. We will set appointments in the future. Please sit and talk with us."

Still upset about skipping lunch, Sasuke sat roughly, glaring.

"Now, back to what I was saying, the name of your-"

"What's wrong with it?"

Another member chimed in, speaking nicely with a smile, "Well, some people, have thought it a bit insensitive to call it a Sacrifice."

"Which people?"

"A few-"

"Because anyone that should have an opinion about it, is dead. Except me."

"Yes, we understand. Though you are the only survivor of your clan, you weren't the only one affected by the...trauma. Families that had members marry into the Uchiha clan lost loved ones that day. And they have come to us, with very steep passion. They feel calling it a Sacrifice is unjustification."

"My brother sacrificed his Soul for Konoha. For you. For your government and the safety of this village. His sacrifice is their sacrifice. It was not murder. It was not genocide. What do you suppose I should call it?"

"Misfortune?" Someone offered.

Another voiced, "Black tidings for the Uchiha Clan."

And yet another, "Love and Loss, a Uchiha Tale."

Sasuke blinked. "It will remain as is." He stood up.

"One more thing."

He sighed before he turned back around.

"We have come to find that you and Miss Haruno are involved?"

His brows knit. "Why do you care?"

The nice one spoke up again, shooting a piece of paper across the table. "We've done a little research and this is the list of women with the best genetic pool to correspond with your specific genes. Any of these eligible women will guarantee almost a 99 percent chance of possessing the Sharingan in future offspring."

Sasuke picked up the list, staring at it. He read nothing however. He needed a moment to grasp how far these disgusting creatures wanted to grip their greedy hands into his life. Would he ever be free of them?

The paper ignited into a fire and it fell from his fingers as he walked away.

* * *

Sasuke stood on a tree branch overlooking the hospital. He could see into an open window and watched Sakura as she spoke to the nurses at the station. She went through a door and entered a side room to talk with a patient.

His fist hit the tree.

Sasuke was stupid to ever think he wasn't being watched. Konoha would have eyes on him twenty-four hours a day, every waking minute. He was still a threat. As long as he lived, as long as he had these eyes, Konoha would never rest.

They would be foolish to do otherwise. How many times had he threatened their existence? And he had meant it with all of his being. He had wanted to crush every single person in this town and he would have too. If Naruto hadn't made him see differently.

As of right now, he had no intentions of harming Konoha again. He in fact wanted to protect the village as he considered it his obligation to fulfill Itachi's will.

But he can't promise he'll never change. The corruption of their council, of this dreary government, of their old, traditional values sinks into the sands of the village. If they somehow manage to twist their roots around any of his friends or around Naruto or Sakura, he'd attack with no remorse.

He waited for Naruto to become Hokage. Only then will he be safe again.

Sasuke snapped his head to the right. Sakura landed on the branch, sitting and swaying her legs. It was her real form. He looked into the hospital and found her clone.

"I've gotten pretty good with it" She explains. "It runs the rounds for me so I can rest in my office."

"You should be home."

She rubs her eyes. "Can't help anyone laying in bed." Sakura looked up at him, "You missed lunch."

Though he owed her no explanation, he did however find himself responding. "Had a meeting."

She nodded. "Any feeling in your arm?"

"It's fine."

"Move your fingers."

Sasuke turned the other way. "Go home." He jumped off.

If the Council reminded him of anything, its that living here much longer wasn't an option. They were going to get in his way every chance they had. They wanted to control him. Like every other person that had influenced his life had attempted to do. Orochimaru, Madara, even Itachi had attempted to direct him on a path that he had no choice to pick on his own. They manipulated and lied to get what they wanted.

He would never let the council get to him.

So what was he doing starting a relationship with Sakura? He was just going to leave anyway. Could she come with him? She had asked to come last time. She would do it in a heartbeat. But how could he ask her that? Leave the village, her home, her job, her everything to do what, exactly? Walk the country and find potential evil? That wasn't her field.

Sasuke laid in bed and when he opened his eyes again, he was sweating. Pain had woke him and he gripped his arm, clenching his teeth. He glanced at the clock, surprised to find it was nearly midnight. He didn't even remember falling asleep.

He attempted to sit up but decided against it. It was too late to bother Sakura. She needed to rest. He would go to the hospital early in the morning. He could make it through the night. He's had worst pain than this.

Sasuke stared at the ceiling. Recalling his thoughts from before. If he decided to ask Sakura to come with him, it would be wrong for the two of them to go off on their own. Her honor would be soiled. She'd be looked at like a whore. He couldn't do that to her.

But.

If they were married, it would be completely acceptable for the two of them to travel together.

Would she go for that? They literally started dating a day ago. Perhaps it was the fever that made the idea seem plausible. He hadn't even had the nerve to ask her out on a freaking date, how the hell was he going to get up the balls to ask to marry her? He'd doubt she'd guess to his intentions like before.

It was too soon.

He'll wait a week. But first he needed to get through the night.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Author's Note: Been trying to post all weekend but the site wouldn't let me so don't hate! Got it up as soon as I could.**_

\- Chapter 7

Hinata entered the house at 8 am, on time as she typical did. She had a bouquet of flowers in her hand and went straight into the kitchen to put them in a vase. She started a pot of boiling water to make soup as well for Sasuke and herself. She hummed a soft tune, rubbing her growing belly, while cleaning the usually. The counter needed a simple wipe down and the pillows just needed to be fluffed. Sasuke rarely used any parts of the house and kept it organized.

She was sure he was still asleep but he usually wakes up when she arrives.

Hinata made his soup and placed at his seat at the head of the table. At 830 when he still didn't come down, she wrapped it up and placed it back on the stove to keep it warm. Then she went into the backyard to sweep any snow off the patio.

At 9 o'clock she checked on the soup. It still hadn't been touched. She glanced up the stairs and then to the shoes by the door. HIs pair of boots were still there and his cloak hung in the closet. She swept the entry way, opening the front door just for a fraction to let some fresh air in.

By 915, Hinata climbed the stairs tentatively, sweeping each stair as she went, acting as though she was just going on her usual business. She dusted the banister and peaked into his doorway. She could make out his feet underneath the covers. HInata gave a little cough and it echoed in the emptiness of the house. He made no move.

Hinata used the broom to sweep her way into the bedroom, humming louder and louder to announce her presence. And then she saw his face. The broom dropped on the floor as she went to his bedside. He was beat red with a fever. She shook him but he refused to wake. Activating her Byakugan, she noticed his chakra was in disarray and his heartbeat was beating too fast. It sent her in a panic.

HInata darted down the stairs and called for an ambulance.

* * *

When Sasuke woke, his whole body felt like it had been beaten by Naruto's Kyuubi several times over. It was dark yet there was a TV on and at first he thought he was still in his room but everything about it was off. He was laying on his back, positioned upright. That in and of itself told him he was somewhere else. He looked around for answers. It was definitely a hospital room. There was an iv bag dripping into his arm while his other arm, was gone. He patted his amputation. It was newly wrapped and blood soaked through the gauze.

Then he noticed the hospital bed next to him. Sakura was curled up in a ball, sleeping in her white doctor robes, holding the remote in an outstretched hand. Her pink hair fell over her cheek and with every exhale it shifted.

Hunger had woke him, he realized as his belly growled loud enough to echo. It would have been embarrassing but Sakura didn't wake.

The need for answers however forced him to call out her name.

Her eyes shot open and she sat up, instantly brushing away her tiredness. "You're awake." She came to his side, her fingers at his wrist checking his heart rate. Then she felt his forehead.

He watched her, perturbed by her professionalism. "What happened?"

"You're an idiot."

He didn't appreciate her response.

"You went septic. You obviously didn't take to the arm and it caused a blood infection. By the time we got you in, your kidneys had already shut down. I didn't think you'd make it at one point. You've been in a coma for about three days now. You will have to stay on antibiotics and intravenous fluids for a few more days."

Sasuke rested his head against the pillow. He should have thought something like that could happen. If he hadn't been distracted with the damn council and with his decisions about Sakura, he would have paid more attention to his body. He watched as she went about touching the wires to his IV, squeezing the bag, going over the machines.

She was angry, he noted. It was humorous as she fought it, trying to be the doctor while at the same time, a worried girlfriend.

Girlfriend.

Sakura was his girlfriend. It caused a funny feeling in his gut. They were alone in the room. Would she try to kiss him? He became worried at this point. If he's been asleep for three days there's no telling how bad his breath was. He looked for a bathroom. Would they supply a toothbrush? What if she just dived right in? He wouldn't be able to say 'Hold On, be right back.' He shifted, nervous suddenly.

"Why didn't you say anything to me. I asked you if your arm was okay."

He didn't reply. He had his own dilemma here. How was he going to brush his teeth before she tried to kiss him?

Sakura walked to the door and he snapped his head up, confused. Where was she going?

"You know who saved you?" She whispered over her shoulder, "Me." The door opened shining light in from the hall, "I'm not weak. When are you going to understand that?" It shut softly behind her.

Sasuke stared at the door. Aggravation rising slowly the more he thought about. Sometimes she still acted like the same old Sakura. It had nothing to do with her weakness or lack thereof. She can be the strongest woman in world, he still had the right to...protect her...didn't he? She had been sick. It was only instinct not to stress her further. But he didn't need to explain himself. If she loved him as much as she claimed she did, then she should already know that about him.

He scoffed. And here he was stressing about a freaking kiss. Go figure.

* * *

There was a reason he hated hospitals. It wasn't the needles. It wasn't the smell. And it was probably every other man's wildest fantasy. But it was Sasuke's biggest pet-peeve.

Nurses.

They currently had a bidding war on who would get to go in his room next. It was between two young college graduates, a 60 year-old and a gay guy that had too much muscle to ever become transgender despite how well he spoke like a woman.

He could hear them arguing now about who's turn it was as they did it right outside his open door.

Sasuke once again tugged on his leg, attempting to find weakness in the chain Sakura had attached. But aside from breaking his own foot, there was no way to get it off. She had it made before he had even woken up, predicting his attempt at escape.

A knock on the window grabbed his attention and Naruto waved. Sasuke got out of bed, holding onto his IV pole and keeping one foot on the bed, hopped once before leaning over and unlatching it. He pushed it out but the dumb ninja was in front of it and nearly fell. Sasuke shook his head as he hopped back into bed.

Naruto poked his head through the door, "Sakura got you with the foot latch, huh? Damn things made out of curses." He mumbled taking a seat. "How many days you got left?"

He shrugged, having lost time in this desolate prison.

Having heard the arguments escalating outside his door, Naruto questioned but Sasuke held up a hand, asking him not too. It was too embarrassing as it was already. He moved on to something else, "Sakura's pretty upset."

Sasuke gave no reply. He knew already considering anytime she was in his room, he received only the coldest responses. He swore she poked him with needles simply to do it. And he couldn't be sure about this but he was suspecting she had ordered the meanest, rudest man to remove the catheter. He was still recovering from the foul treatment his nether regions had received.

"What are you going to do?"

His brows knit. "Do?"

"Yeah. You gotta do something. Apologize. Buy her flowers. Clean the dishes. I don't know. Something."

"Why?"

Naruto smiled. "Because you're her boyfriend." He slapped him on the leg. "And that's what boyfriends do when they screw up."

"I did not screw up."

"You nearly died."

Sasuke clenched his teeth. "I should be mad at myself then. Shall I buy myself flowers?"

Naruto gave him a face and he threw his gaze away, aggravated. Apologizing was not his thing. And he was not going to apologize for something that he technically wasn't at fault for. It's not like he tried to die or do it to spite her. It was intentional. He thought he could make it till morning and apparently he had been wrong.

"What is going on?" Sakura's loud voice broke through the argument at the doorway.

"It's my turn."

"No, it's my turn. YOu went three hours ago."

"No, Henry did."

"I haven't gone in four hours. It's definitely my turn."

"I'm the oldest, he should be my patient."

"No one wants you for their nurse."

"Shut up!" She went on and began to berate their professionalism in an extremely annoyed tone.

Naruto swiveled out the chair, "That's my cue." He dived through the open window just before the door began to push wider.

"None of you are going."

"That's not fair!"

"He likes me, let me go."

"He doesn't. He likes me."

Sakura squeezed through. "He doesn't like any of you." She hissed, slamming the door behind her with a huff.

A voice sounded through, "He doesn't like you either."

Sakura sighed heavily, turning on her foot with a fake smile. "How are you feeling?"

"Can I go?"

She grabbed the chart on the end of the bed and looked it over, nodding. "As soon as we get another prosthetic on you."

"No."

"What?"

"I don't want to do this again."

He noted that her anger, or annoyance, or whatever had driven her the last couple of days was absent. Perhaps she had gotten over it on her own. He was somewhat thankful. He highly doubted buying flowers was one of his capabilities.

No, he knew it wasn't one of his capabilities.

She sat on the bed, her hip touching his thigh. It was the first random touch that hadn't been painful and he found he welcomed it. He realized however that his hand was quite close to her knee. He felt the need to move but didn't. He wouldn't be intimidated by a woman's knee. Especially his girlfriend's knee.

She sighed softly, her eyes shining with its normal compassion, "This happens sometimes. Not as bad as this but rejections happen."

"I don't want it."

"You are being stubborn."

He shrugged.

"I'm getting you an arm. There are only benefits from having two arms, Sasuke."

"No."

"Why?"

"I don't want it."

"Why?"

"I don't deserve it."

Sakura stalled in her pestering.

Sasuke kept his eyes toward the window, wishing he hadn't said anything.

"What are you talking about, of course you do."

"I've done multiple things wrong in my life, Sakura. This is part of that."

She didn't respond for a while. She sat in silence staring at the ground, perhaps thinking of all the times he tried to kill her or maybe of all the things he said to her during his years on the run. He couldn't regret those things because he had meant them. And he would have gone through with them and thought nothing of them. But he would always wonder if Itachi had done differently, what kind of person would he be? Orochimaru had never found him, chosen him, would his path had been different? Who would he have become?

Her hand shifted toward his own and her fingers intertwined with his. It was an odd thing but not completely unwelcome. He didn't respond but neither did he remove his hand. They were alone and it wasn't unacceptable to hold hands. He found himself staring at them realizing he had never held hands with anyone before. He didn't think such an action would cause a feeling in his gut.

"Okay." She conceded. A smirk stretched on her lips, "The one arm kind of helps your badassness."

He smirked.

A knock on the door and they both pulled away faster than a lightning strike. One of the young female nurses walked in with a tray full of food. She smiled warmly, "I thought you would be hungry, Sasuke-san." She leaned over, setting the tray down. Three buttons had been left opened and her bosom squeezed out.

Sakura glanced at Sasuke but he was staring out the window obviously aggravated. She took the key and unhooked his leg. "You're good to go." She told him.

The nurse blinked confused, "But um. Are you sure he's ready, Sakura-sama?"

Sasuke got up, grabbing his cloak off the chair and wrapped it around him, shoving his shoes on.

"He's fine. Go give this food to someone else."

The strange woman continued, "Um. Sasuke-san. I wanted to ask if you wanted to go to the movies, maybe, later?"

Sasuke pushed the window open and put his foot on the edge. He looked back at Sakura. "Lunch tomorrow?"

"It's Saturday."

He didn't reply and her cheeks reddened before she nodded.

"Um.. Sasuke-san?"

Sasuke jumped out of the window.

The nurse turned to Sakura. "Do you think he likes me?"

She snorted.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Author's Note: Hoping to have another chapter out by Valentines day! My niece was born today so I'm in an extra good mood!**_

Chapter 8

So, he had asked Sakura to lunch without really thinking about. It seemed right at the time but then he had all afternoon and all night to realize what he had done and now the only solution was to find an alternative to be alone with her.

And that meant, Naruto.

He found the lazy ninja sleeping at 1115 in the morning and abruptly upturned his mattress. Naruto screamed and cursed and ranted for a good while until Sasuke said he'd pay for lunch and that got the man moving. It wasn't until Sakura showed up that Naruto turned to him with narrowed eyes of suspicion but Sasuke upright ignored him and entered their favorite restaurant.

And thankfully lunch wasn't awkward. In fact, it was pretty much the same. Naruto burned his tongue on his hot chocolate. They ate their meals. They talked about things going on presently and about why Sasuke's arm didn't take to him. Naruto wondered if he would try again and he told him maybe sometime in the future but he had no intention of ever going through it.

After lunch however was when Naruto attempted to leave. Sasuke opened his mouth to stop him but then snapped his mouth. He had no excuses, no ideas, no way to keep Naruto around so he wouldn't be alone with his girlfriend.

And that's when Sakura stepped in front of Naruto with her hands behind her back, "You can't go." Her cheeks red as she searched the ground for a reason, "Because...We...should...train! Let's go train!"

Naruto scratched the back of his head, "But we usually do that at 5...I got to work on building the crib. Hinata's getting really pushy about it."

"Let's train." Sasuke agreed and began heading toward the training grounds.

Naruto fought lamely but Sakura had him by the arm and Sasuke ignored it. His thoughts were currently going haywire.

Was Sakura afraid to be alone with him? He wasn't afraid, mind you, he just hated awkwardness. It had nothing to do with fear. Why would he be afraid of being alone with his girlfriend? He wasn't a little kid. Why is she afraid to be alone with him? They've been alone before. Nothing happened. Is that the problem? Is she mad that nothing happened? He's never a kissed a girl, if she wanted to be kissed then she would have to come and get it. He's not going to seem desperate. That's a girl thing.

He was so aggravated by the time they got to the training grounds he was ready to shoot fire from his veins. Naruto and Sakura were accommodating as usual. It was a free for all. No teams, no weapons, or jutsu, just plain tai-jutsu. And Sakura didn't hold back which led to numerous bruises.

Hours they spent fighting. If one took a break the other two attacked full fledged against each other. At one point it was Sakura and himself and he found himself incapable of hitting her straight on. With Naruto watching it was like her father there. He dipped and dived, running and dodging. And then she seemed to catch on.

"You scare of me or something?" she taunted. She pulled her hand out of the ten foot crater.

His eyes narrowed, He had just gone through that very conversation in his head that he was NOT afraid and for her to make a jibe made him add chakra into his step, flashing next to her and back handing her across the field. She had protected herself well and landed on her feet. A smirk on her lips.

Sasuke responded the same. He liked training with her now. There was something different about it that wasn't there before. Like he noted the way she breathed with her mouth open. The way she groaned when she got hit. The way she twisted and her shirt exposed just a bit of her stomach.

Sasuke's smirk fell. He realized it then. It was sexual tension. And with Naruto present, he did not like it one bit.

At that moment, Naruto stood, "Can I go home?"

Sasuke nodded, "Let's end training."

Naruto celebrated and took off running as Sakura waited for him to approach. "Walk me home?" She asked carelessly, and turned toward her street. The snow had been all blown away by their training and it was easy making it back to the main road. Walking her home was an easy thing. He had done it numerous times before when they weren't a couple and it felt natural by now. The roads were officially open for travel so it was an easy pace back to her place. Sakura talked mindlessly about a patient and he listened though distantly. Too much interest would be uncharacteristic.

"Thanks for breaking my lock, by the way." She broke in.

"What? Oh." He had forgotten about that. He was currently dealing with an enigma. They would have to part soon. Would she try to kiss him? In public? With people around? The very thought brought redness to his cheeks but the cold helped him hide it. They were getting closer and closer to her door and it was like a death sentence. It wasn't like he didn't want too. But what if he wasn't good at it? Or what if he missed? Or what if she wasn't good? Had she ever kissed anybody? And then he suddenly realized, he didn't know that answer. He should know something like that. Who would it have been? That Hyuuga boy? Or the dog freak that always talked about girl's breasts?

Oh, now he wasn't even in the mood to kiss. He was too angry.

Sakura decided for them. She darted ahead, turning back to wave. "See ya on Monday."

He stopped in his footsteps, watching her dive into the house.

That wasn't how that was supposed to go.

Was he disappointed?

He wanted something other than what just happened. Dating people do not just wave goodbye and skip the weekend. They are supposed to go out on the weekend. She should have invited him in. Right?

* * *

Sasuke stood in Naruto's house, leaning up against the wall, watching the poor man attempt to put together a crib. The parts all scattered across the ground. The instructions were spread out in random places and he vaguely glanced at them every now and again when a piece failed to fit where he attempted to fit it.

He would have helped but he didn't want too.

"What should I do?"

"About what again?" Naruto murmured looking down at the paper.

"Sakura." He growled.

"Oh, yeah. Um." He squeezed a bar into a nail hole. Sasuke pretended to didn't notice. "Maybe she's scared."

"Of what?"

"You'll reject her. Because let's face, you've rejected her a ton."

"It's different now."

"Not really. You are still you. She knows you, better than you know yourself."

"Tsk. She doesn't know me that well."

Naruto chuckled, "I doubt that." He pulled the two pieces apart finally realizing it was wrong and grabbed a nail. "I don't think you know Sakura that well."

His brows knit. "What do you mean?"

Naruto put down the items and looked up at him. "Think about it. She's been in love with you since she was little. She has chased after you, seen you at your worst, and loved you still. She's evolved, gotten stronger, simply to be your equal. She's knows what you need. She knows what you want. And she's still her own person. Have you ever thought what she had to go through to become who she is? It's no question you went through hell. But what about her?"

Sasuke watched Naruto return to his crib building. His attempts were terrible but he continued, making little progress. It was interesting enough to watch for another hour until he came to a decision.

Sasuke stood straight. "I'm going to ask her to marry me." He went for the door.

Naruto crashed through his mess, stumbling over pieces to chase after him, "You're what?"

Sasuke slammed the door.

Naruto barged outside, "You've only been dating a week. You can't just dive in."

Sasuke continued to walk. "Why not?"

"That's not how it works."

"You said it yourself. Why waste more time?"

He vehemently shook his head, "Don't pin this on me! You haven't even kissed her yet-"

Sasuke turned to him, "Will she say no?"

Naruto stalled, circling for a response. He had nothing. "No. Of course not."

"Then why do you have a problem with it?"

His lips bobbed, speechless.

Sasuke took off.

* * *

Sasuke was in his backyard currently punching and kicking the bag hanging from the scaffold. It was supposed to help him concentrate but it was doing nothing as he contemplated scenario after scenario on how he would go about asking Sakura to marry him.

There were multiple versions in his head and all of them made him look like a great big pansy.

Obviously, those were not going to happen. There would be no flowers. There would be no chocolates or love notes or poems!

It will be done the Uchiha way: formal, direct, and curt.

But he also wanted to impress her. So she had zero capacity to say no.

What if he asked her in a random, horrible way, and it's just enough to push her over and she finally realized that he's a miserable, horrible person that she would never want to spend the rest of her life with?

It could happen.

Sasuke gave up the punching bag and took a shower, hoping the hot water would drown his nerves. He stared at the wall as the water poured over his head.

Now would have been a nice time to hear some words of wisdom from his father. What would his dad say? He couldn't even remember his dad's voice anymore let alone imagine the kind of things he would say. There was a faded memory of his father and it wasn't a good one and it had nothing to do with the topic at hand so Sasuke turned his mind to something else.

Sometimes, it was hard not to be mad at Itachi. Because even if what he had done was for a noble cause, Sasuke still ended up alone. It didn't take away the fact that he had no mother and he had no father, and he had no brother. The sacrifice, the massacre, the 'misfortune', still left him alone. And on days like today, when he really needed someone to talk to, to give advice, to listen to him, and he had no one left, it was hard not to be resentful.

Sasuke exited the bathroom and pulled on a pair of sweatpants before collapsing in bed. He lifted his head up, looking around the room, thinking.

If he asked Sakura to marry him, and she said yes, where would they stay? He couldn't bring her back here. This house had too many ghosts. His mother walked the halls. They wouldn't be able to have…'relations'..with his parents' souls moving in and out of the room. That's just wrong.

He needed to finish the house.

And he laid in bed until the sun rose and he was out the door.

With twenty clones, working at full speed from sun up to sun down all day sunday, he nearly finished the house. The wood floors took four hours themselves. The cabinets were even more time consuming. But he kept at it. When Monday came around, he sent a note to Sakura to explain he was finishing his house and wouldn't be by for a couple days. And by Tuesday, the house was complete. Despite it needing furniture.

Nao was walking up to him with a tray in his wobbly hands. A clone ran out to aid him, taking the plate while another clone helped him trudge through the snow. Sasuke hadn't thought about clearing a path and now the old man had to crawl his way up his front porch. His clone lifted him and they jumped to the steps making Nao laugh.

Sasuke sat down beside him, making all his copies disappear. He went about serving the tea Nao had brought handing him a cup.

"I thought you would be hungry after all that work. I got to say I'm impressed. Why the sudden rush?"

Sasuke chewed on a sandwich for a moment, swallowing. "Time is running out."

He nodded, sipping the tea. "Did you finish?"

"Furniture."

"Should have your wife or a girlfriend do that. Women have an eye for it."

"Hn." That would be a good idea. Sakura might like to fill the house herself.

"You got a girlfriend? I think I've seen her a couple times. It's the pink haired girl."

Sasuke nodded.

He nodded too. "She's a smart one. She took care of me when I had pneumonia. A real sweetheart. Makes me miss my wife. She died four years ago. Married for forty four years." He held up his teacup. "I just recently learned how to make this."

Sasuke smirked, taking a sip of his own.

"She's a keeper. You can tell."

He glanced sideways at him.. "How?"

He chuckled, "When you get to be my age, you can always tell. Women are like water. When they're rain, it's short and heavy and you drown in it, but then it dries up. When they're snow, it sticks around, it's enchanting at first and lasts a bit longer but it's cold." He shrugged. "It melts eventually. Then when they're a river, it flows constantly, changing with its surroundings and adapting and it leads out to the ocean, endless and vast. She's a river." He took a sip of his tea. "My wife was a river." He turned and looked back at the house. "You build it for her?"

Sasuke glanced back at it and wondered. Had he?

Nao nodded, "I wondered what you were doing building such a big house. Now I understand."

Nao continued to talk about his life which mostly included his dead wife while Sasuke ate his entire plate. When they were all finished, Sasuke assisted him home, holding his arm so he wouldn't fall. He kept repeating how good a boy he was. It was his only way of thanking the old man for being around. He had gotten the advice he needed.

Sasuke got home and took a hot shower, attempting to get feeling back in his toes. He would have preferred going to a hot spring but they weren't open this late. He slipped on a pair of sweatpants and crashed into bed, hoping exhaustion would help him find sleep but he only found himself thinking of the ways he was going to ask Sakura.

He was sure he slept small increments at a time because of the wild awful dreams he had. The marriage proposals that went wrong. The corny sentimental versions of flowers and tears. The awful nightmares were Sakura shoots him down and jumps into the arms of some stranger.

By the time morning came, he was in a horrible mood and he wanted to talk to no one but sure enough Naruto and HInata showed up on cue and Naruto's loud, obnoxious feet pounded up his staircase. Sasuke had a kunai at the ready and chucked it at his head as he entered. Naruto screamed and dropped to the floor.

Wisely, he slithered away and slinked back down the stairs.

Sasuke wasn't going to cower. He was going to get it over with, like ripping off a bandaid. He was more positive than ever that he wanted to marry Sakura. He needed to just get it over with so it wasn't sucking the very life out of his Soul.

He got dressed and walked out the door.

* * *

 _ **Next up the big proposal! How do you think he'll do it?**_


	9. Chapter 9

The Marriage proposal! Yay! Obviously, my rating is going to go up soon. I wonder why... :)

* * *

 _ **\- Chapter 9**_

"She said no."

Naruto tripped and fell flat on his face. He sputtered as he rose, brushing the snow from his face. "What do you mean she said no?"

Sasuke wouldn't look in his direction as they walked the market. Hinata had sent Naruto out to buy food for the house and currently he was searching for the correct stall to buy the fish. Now, however, he didn't pay any attention to his surroundings as he gapped openly at Sasuke.

"I asked." Sasuke stated simply. "She said no."

Naruto shook his head, stuffing the list in his pocket to run his hands through his hair, "You gotta start from the beginning. That doesn't make any sense. She wouldn't say no. Sakura is in love with you. She's wanted to marry you since she was ten years old. She wouldn't have said no."

"She said no."

He jumped crazily, "You may think that, but that's not what happened. Did something happen between you that I don't know about?"

"No."

"You got to give me something. She wouldn't have said no."

"She said-"

Naruto dived in front of him, "I get that she said it! But something's wrong. How'd you do it?"

Sasuke stopped shortly in front of a kunai stand. He picked it up a sword, holding it out and analyzed it.

Naruto tapped him on the shoulder, "How'd you do it?"

He shrugged, setting it down and picking up a different one. "I just asked."

"Where?"

"At her work."

"Her work?" Naruto brows knit, "Was she with a patient?"

Sasuke shrugged.

"So you asked her at work, while she was with a patient." His brows knit in horror, "What did you say?"

Sasuke dropped the blade on the table and darted away. "I said," He sighed, "There's an open spot at noon tomorrow if you want to get married."

Naruto fell over.

Sasuke hid his own grimace. It was embarrassing enough without having to relive it. He had panicked. He had walked into the hospital, thinking he would find her alone in her office and instead he had found her with a patient. Normal words after that were not happening. She had looked surprised and asked him what he was doing there. He couldn't turn back at that point and no excuses were in his head, he had spent too much time trying to figure out how to propose it had left no room for excuses. He didn't want to sound dumb or pathetic. But he also didn't want to say that, but it had just come out and he couldn't take back.

She had looked at him like a bloated fish, unable to respond at first before replying, 'I'm busy.'

He had left afterwards hastily, nearly running away.

It was a disaster. This was possibly the worst idea he had ever had, aside from abandoning the village, or attempting to kill all the living kages.

"Well of course she said no! You asked her like an idiot."

Sasuke shot a foot out and tripped him.

Sputtering, he snapped up, knocking off all the snow. "She's been waiting for you for more than ten years. She deserved better than that." He shook his head, "Maybe this was a bad idea. You aren't ready for it."

Sasuke wondered the same thing.

Naruto brooded for another moment. "Look, you gotta do it right. You need candles and music, and roses. You got to sweep her off her feet!"

"Why are you talking like that?"

Naruto's face reddened, "Hinata makes me watch girly movies."

"I don't do romance."

"I'll help you."

Sasuke crossed his arms. Could there be a downside to this? Would his reputation be tarnished?

"No one finds out."

"Promise."

"I'm not helping."

"Okay."

"Fine."

"But you got figure out what you're gonna say. You may be surprised but I'm not good with words."

Sasuke stopped in his walk and watched Naruto take off. He rolled his eyes moving on.

Girly movies, huh? Did they have the answer he needed? No. He wouldn't make himself go through that. He was sure there was another way. He just needed to think.

He went back to his parents' house and to occupy his time, he transferred his bedroom furniture into his new home. Everything else however was staying. He went into each room, looking at every piece of furniture and putting it all to memory. For some reason, he felt like he was leaving again.

Sasuke stood on the outside of his parents room. It was fear that kept him out of here. Fear that if he opened the door, their spirits would come falling out.

He shoved the door aside and stepped in. It was cold and smelled of mildew. He didn't air it out nearly enough and Hinata rarely went in here because of his own private wishes. Only when visitors requested it did she lead them in here.

Sasuke went to his mother's vanity. Her hairbrush still lay in the same spot it had been on the last day she used it. Pieces of her hair were mixed into the brushes. Her perfume rested at the exact spot. There was no dust. Hinata did well in keeping the place clean. Sasuke opened her jewelry box. There was only two piece of jewelry. A necklace and a ring. He picked up the gold band and laid it in his palm.

What would his mother think of Sakura? Would she approve? Would she be happy?

He placed it down into the box again. He wanted nothing of his mother's. This family belonged in the past. This house and everything in it would stay here and it would be a reminder to future generations what evil actions can cause.

The sadness, the blood, the screams, they will also be left here and will not follow him to his new house. His future would be clean. And hopefully, with Sakura, it will be happier than its been.

Sasuke went into the backyard, sitting down in the snow at the spot meant for him. He'd be back here occasionally but he felt like he was saying goodbye. He didn't want to carry this burden anymore. He wanted to wash it away and the only way to do that was to move on.

He felt he could do that now that he has his own home and a new future. And though he felt a little guilty, he suppressed it. His family would not want him to feel guilt. They'd want only him to be happy. Itachi had left him alive for no other reason, but to live. And now that years have past and answers have been given and forgiveness has found it's way, he can finally understand that.

Sasuke heard his door slam and Naruto yell. He had to direct him to the new house before he began to set up here. Sasuke stood, bowing low, turning around, and didn't look back.

* * *

It was perhaps too much.

Sasuke nervously looked at the thousands of candles lit in his newly finished house. If one candle tips over without their knowledge, this entire place would go up in flames. He had already threatened the giddy ninja but Naruto was too lost in excitement to care. He littered rose petals all over the floor and Sasuke wondered was who the hell was going to clean all this crap up.

"Is that your best suit?" Naruto questioned, again.

Sasuke glared.

Naruto checked the time on the stove. "It's almost time! I left a note on her door. She gets home at six, usually. That gives her an hour to dress. So five more minutes and she'll be knocking on the door. The food is ready." He pointed to the picnic he had set up on the kitchen floor. "Music." He clicked on some instrumental music for the nice romantic feel and he grinned. "I outdid myself. Man, i should have done this for HInata." He murmured suddenly, scratching his head.

"Get out."

"Yeah, I'm gone."

Naruto tentatively went down the hall so as not to disturb the rose petals or candles lighting the path from the front door and went out the back sliding door, "Good luck!" He whispered.

Sasuke stood in the center of the living room, waiting. His stomach was in knots. He had never been more nervous. What if she said no this time? That would be it, right? A real 'no'. Not like the "i'm Busy" but like an actual 'no'. There would be no other attempts. HIs pride couldn't take the rejection. He'd leave Konoha and most likely never see her again.

What if she didn't come at all?

Sasuke shifted to see the clock. She was already a minute late. What if this was her rejection? She knew he was going to ask again and instead of saying it to his face, she wasn't even going to give him the courtesy!

Another minute late.

What if she went to the wrong house? Did Naruto specify the house?

A knock on the door.

Sasuke eyes widened and his whole body stiffened. She was here.

"Sasuke?" The door tentatively opened.

He wondered what her face looked like seeing the candles and roses. He heard her feet touch the floor. Her footsteps were slow and unsure. "Are you here?" She whispered curiously.

Sakura came around the doorway and stalled, meeting him. Her eyes wide, her lips partly open.

"Sasuke?"

"Sakura." He began.

"What is all this?"

"I promise two things. Everything I have is yours. And I will give you anything you want."

She hesitated, her eyes darting around at the candles, falling at the picnic, before finding him again. A wide smile broke out on her face, her cheeks reddening. She rested a hand on her lip, "I don't want any kids."

"Okay."

"I'm kidding, I want three."

He stifled a smirk. "Okay.

"I don't want to live here."

"Okay."

"I'm kidding again, we can live here."

He was silent.

She shrugged, "I'm just testing out that promise." She grinned.

"Is that a yes?"

She nodded and then twitched as if to run to him but she stopped, afraid he would deny her like all the other times. His cheeks reddened, realizing what she wanted. He glanced at the window, Naruto's head was peeking through.

But they were going to get married now. What right did he have to deny her? He nodded just once and she ran to him, nearly knocking him over, meeting his lips. It was awkward, having never kissed a woman before, but soon enough, his lips relaxed against hers and he brought his arm around and held her.

Naruto burst in the house, jumping up and down and coming over to them as they awkwardly parted to look at him, "My two best friends are getting married! This is the happiest day of my life."

Sasuke grabbed him by his arm and even screaming obscenities, he pulled him out of the house and slammed the door. Sakura was laughing having followed them. Sasuke snatched her hand, and yanked her to him, kissing her again and her giggles turned to a muffled moan as her hands fell on his shoulders. It kept getting better every time they reconnected, their lips learning each other, their tongues getting more courage to fight one another.

He held her tight, stepping them back to push her against the door. He found himself wanting more. He was allowed that, wasn't he? She was going to be his wife. He didn't have to hold back. There was no shyness between a man and a wife. He felt bold in this moment His hand sliding down her hip and gripping her thigh, his dull nails digging into the fat. He lifted her leg and she followed the silent instruction, wrapping her heel around his waist.

Sakura parted, if only to get air. She was grinning. Her cheeks were red, her lips were swollen. The desire was growing stronger, nearly blinding rational though. Sasuke leaned back in but Sakura gently pushed against his shoulder, "Tomorrow at noon, right?"

He nodded, his eyes drifting down her neck, wondering what it would feel like to press his lips against her skin.

"I'll see you then." Her foot dropped to the floor and she twisted out and latched onto the doorknob.

Sasuke stepped back, unconsciously allowing her to open the door despite being absolutely confused on what's happening. "You're leaving?" He almost didn't believe it as she slipped out the door, looking back at him with a soft, apologetic smile.

"I don't want too." She admitted, "But I won't be able to stop." The door shut.

Sasuke stood there breathing heavy for a pretty long time. When he was sure she was long gone, he went outside and threw his body in the snow. Even then it took ten minutes for him to calm down. He stared up at the stars, not really sure what had happened. He had very good control over his emotions. Even physical desires were in constant check. But for some reason, after she said yes, that control switch had been obsolete.

Granted he had never kissed a girl before so that had been new, in and of itself. It was definitely something he liked and perhaps it was because it was Sakura that he was kissing but he wanted to do it again. He wanted to do more of it and he wanted to do other things as well. Even the stray thought made him sit in the snow longer. He covered his eyes, his face red and full of shame. He had never been so full of sexual thoughts. It was ridiculous. But he now knew what she felt like. Her lips. Her skin. She smelled like cherries...

Tomorrow. Tomorrow. Tomorrow.

Could he wait that long?

He entered his house and stalled.

Who the hell was going to clean up this freaking mess!

* * *

 **Was it everything you hoped it would be? Not too sappy. I love it.**


	10. Chapter 10

_**Author's Note: Glad to see you guys are liking it. Thanks for the feedback.**_

Chapter 10

Obviously he had gotten little sleep and what sleep he did get was full of erotic encounters. Some of them were good...too good, while others were shamefully horrible. Things virgins most fear about their first time and he couldn't stop reliving the moments over and over again. It had him breaking into the library, if only to do some research on the very specific subject well into the morning so he would not fail so horribly and that only left him feeling disgusted with himself. So once again he began the day in a very bad mood. Then Sakura sent him a message that she had moved the appointment of their wedding to 4pm. Needless to say, he was beyond pissed.

Of course then Naruto showed up and once again sharp knives were sent in his direction but this time he did not take the hint. "Come on, we got to get you fitted with a new kimono."

"Why?"

"Because you have to show up in a proper outfit."

Sasuke sat on his bed, watching the man pick out his clothes. "Did you tell anyone?"

Naruto stalled for a half a second before saying, "No."

"Naruto."

"Maybe."

"Who?"

"Hinata."

"Who else?"

"Kakashi."

"Tsk."

"You got to have him there. He's our sensai."

"No one else? I don't want anyone else there."

"What about Sakura?"

"What about Sakura?"

"She has friends and coworkers and parents."

"No."

"You can't say no. Did you talk about this last night?"

Sasuke shook his head.

"What did you do?"

Sasuke shot an expected glare.

"Eww, gross! I don't want to know!"

"No. She left."

"Left? Did you even eat?"

He shook his head again, snatching up the shirt.

"Wonder why she left."

Sasuke smirked, lifting the shirt over his head to hide it. He knew exactly why she had left. But he wasn't about to tell Naruto the reason.

A knock on his front door made all conversation stop as they glanced at each other in confusion. Sasuke had no friends aside from Naruto and Sakura and both of them were accounted for. They peaked out the window, beyond curious.

"Do you know him?" Naruto whispered.

Unfortunately he did. Sasuke opened the door wide to reveal one of the council members. It was the overly nice one obviously compensated for being a jackass. "What?"

"Sasuke-san." He greeted with a wide grin. "The council heard about your recent engagement. And we just want to wish you our congratulations."

Sasuke went to shut the door.

The man slap his hand against it. "However. If you would just do us the kind favor of looking over the list of potential female partners, one last time." He held out the list.

Sasuke glared.

"Humor us old folks."

Sasuke snatched it and this time looked it over. Princesses and ambassadors. Emperors and monarchs. It was quite obvious what they were doing. They were attempting a political marriage, using his Uchiha heritage to their advantage.

Once again, he set the list ablaze and let it float away.

The man smiled and bowed his head, "Thank you, Sasuke-san. 4 o'clock, don't be late."

Sasuke and Naruto watched him walk away, both feeling uneasy. There was something there that felt like a threat. He wondered what he had really done by denying their eager match. No doubt there would be consequences. But when?

"Come on." Naruto coaxed him out of his brooding. He pulled him to the tailor shop that he himself had his own kimono made. Sasuke stared at the entrance full of hate, regretting his decision already.

"Naruto!" Ino screamed from across the street. She exited a store and darted toward him, smacking him, "What are you doing here? Sakura is right in that store getting her dress on!"

Sasuke flipped his eyes over, somewhat eagerly, but there were curtains hung up in the window and he could only see the top of her pink hair.

"How was I to know you would go there? There are tons of dress shops. There is only one tailor shop."

"Don't go peaking."

"Hey, since you're here, make sure it's okay with Sakura that only Kakashi comes to the ceremony."

"What? I don't get an invite?" she shot her glare at Sasuke. "I'm going to be doing all the work on this end."

"This day isn't about you, isn't it?"

"You better watch it, Uzumaki, before I get in that head and make you think you're a little girl for the rest of your life."

Naruto pushed Sasuke into the store, "She scares me sometimes. Her and Sai are good for each other."

Sasuke said nothing as the tailor forced him up on a pedestal. He tried again to sneak a look out the window hoping now he would be able to see Sakura but she was facing away from the window. The tailor poked him with a pin, yelling at him to stand up straight.

Ten minutes later Ino came into the shop, "Sakura says she wants her parents, ME, and Kakashi. She also wanted me to remind you, Sasuke, of your promise." She smugly crossed her arms.

Naruto winced, "She's already using that against you. You got to chose your words more carefully."

Sasuke simply stared at the mirror, watching the tailor work. "Fine."

Ino grinned and left.

It took two hours for the tailor to finish. Naruto held the finished product in a bag over his arm. He checked his list. "Alright, next up, after we eat, rings. But let's get some ramen. We would have never made the 12 o'clock appointment."

Yes. Yes they could have, if all of this crap wasn't involved which was exactly the point.

Sasuke couldn't get his mind off of the Council. What tricks were they planning? When would they strike? HOw would they strike? Would they come after Sakura? Were they making a mistake by getting married? Was he putting her danger? Just by having the Uchiha name, he would be putting her in danger. THey should call this off.

Naruto was snapping his fingers in front of his face. Sasuke slapped them away, forcing himself to take a bite of his food.

"You getting nervous?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"I got to admit, I wasn't. I was excited. When I saw HInata in her wedding dress, it all made sense. LIke this is what I was waiting for." Naruto dropped his gaze, "I wish you had been there."

Sasuke took a sip of his drink. "What's next?"

"The rings. Any idea what ring you want?"

Were there different kinds? Sasuke shook his head and Naruto took his own off to show him, "Mine is titanium. So it won't get ruined when I fight."

When they were finished they headed to the jewelry store to get the rings but when asked about Sakura's ring size, they both looked at each other with confusion. Naruto took the sizing samples and ran down the street while Sasuke sat there. A few minutes later, out of breath, and stumbling, he came back in with the size.

"We don't have that size in stock for titanium." The store clerk told them. "We have it in gold and silver." He pointed to the dozen of other rings with diamonds and rubies. "I assure you, your fiance wouldn't want a titanium ring. They are typically only for men."

Sasuke glared.

Naruto cut in, "How long does it take to make one?"

"Two weeks."

He looked to Sasuke, "Maybe just get her a diamond."

Sasuke pointed to what he wanted and slapped down his card. There was no disagreement and he walked out after signing the paper to let Naruto deal with the rest. He looked up at the sky, hoping that was the last of it.

"Okay," Naruto took out his list, checking it off, "Now let's see, 'plan party.'" He glanced up, "Oh, whoops."

"No."

"Come on, Sasuke!" Naruto begged following his friend, "You got to have a celebration."

"No."

"This is the only time you will ever get married. Don't you think Sakura wants to celebrate with everyone she cares about?"

He hated Naruto. He hated everything there was about him. To his blond hair, to his bubbling personality, to his constant talking. Why was he friends with this overbearing burden!

Naruto backed away, grinning, "Just pretend you don't know. See ya at 330 your place. I'll help you get dressed. Later!"

* * *

Sasuke stared at the council building from a rooftop a mile away. He wondered if they were in there now, preparing for some assault against him. What could he do to prevent it? Could he make any promises? Did he want too? If they attacked him at any point, it would give him reason enough to retaliate.

Give him a reason.

Sasuke turned to the East Gate. The exit seemed welcoming. Out there he had no one to report to but the Hokage. No one was watching him. No one cared about him. He could do what he wanted, when he wanted. HIs actions didn't have repercussions out there.

He should cancel this charade. Sakura would only be put in danger by this. She could go on, have a good life with someone that didn't have a sordid past. There would never be a threat to her life or her children. She could be happy.

And though the thought of her marrying some dipshit would really piss him off, it would be better than any pain she would receive by marrying him.

Sasuke sighed, struggling with indecision. He knew she wouldn't agree with his point of view. She was ignorant to what was really going on. There was evil everywhere and she lived in a fairytale. What made her believe in this world that they lived in that he was capable of getting married? She was delusional if she thought this was actually going to happen. Life didn't work that way. The real world didn't work that way.

Sasuke made his way to the court house. It was near four now. Naruto would be no doubt looking for him. He would help Sakura heal as he has always done before. She would get over this. As she liked to point out, she wasn't weak anymore.

He paid no attention to the people waiting in the ceremonial hall and walked down the hallway. He stood outside the closed door and for one last time wondered if this is what he needed to do. Breaking things off would be for the best, he determined. Perhaps he should have sent a note but now it was too late.

Sasuke opened the door and stepped in, ready to tell her it was over.

Sakura greeted him with a smile, standing next to a window. The light shined in, cascading over her, as a spotlight, illuminating her green eyes. Her long white gown had sakura blossoms sewn into the fabric as if they were falling from a tree and gathered at the hem. Green and pink jewels hung from the white headdress, glinting in the sunlight.

It was here he remembered Naruto saying something. How it was exactly where he was supposed to be. And surprisingly enough, he found himself thinking the same thing.

"Sasuke!" Naruto's voiced filter and his body nearly fell on top of him. He latched onto the doors, "Be right back." And yanked Sasuke out of the room.

Sakura's brows knit as she listened to the hushed conversation. She stepped a bit closer. A bag unzipped. Naruto whispered, 'Hurry, Hurry, Hurry.' And then, 'Let me get it. Let me, Owe!' A scuffle of somesorts took place at the point. She jumped when something hit the door. Then there was a relative long pause.

The doors pushed open once more. Sasuke was now dressed in a black coat with his family's crest and a black kimono. He cleared his throat and stepped into the room, closing the doors behind him, leaving Naruto who was covered in clothes in the hall.

They stepped back to the window. Sasuke thought of things to say but everything sounded stupid and silly. When really he didn't want to say anything. He wanted to look at her. He wanted to remember the way she looked today. But even so, he couldn't bring himself to glance at her, in case she caught his eye.

There was a knock on the door, telling them it was time. Sakura grabbed his hand, clenching his fingers. He realized she was nervous. He wasn't. He found this was perhaps a very easy thing to do. And when she met his eyes, he was able to even smile a bit and her own lips stretched into a full grin.

* * *

When the ceremony was over, Sasuke thought that they could escape and just go back to the house but Naruto and Ino were ready for any such attempt. They had the exits watched and captured them before they could get away. Now four hours later, they were still stuck in the party.

Sasuke sat at the bar, holding a glass of whiskey. The same glass he's had for the past two hours. As long as he held something, no one bought him anything. He had no plans to be drunk for his wedding night. He wanted to be of sound mind when it was time for private contact with his new wife. Sakura was currently talking with some friends of hers, and though she mingled non stop since the party began, she made sure that she stayed in his view, facing him, and every so often she would lookup and catch his eye.

It was weird how the connection between them changed. Before, he would have never watched her. Never cared too. But now, it's all he wants to do. The wall that he had built between them, to keep her at a distance was beginning to crumble. Every minute since she put his arm over her shoulder and asked if they were dating, she was chipping at that wall, and now there was a gigantic hole in it. He doubted it would last the night.

Naruto and HInata were approaching. Naruto had gone past the point of no return and was hanging on his wife, barely able to keep his feet from under him. He leaned against Sasuke, "I'm so happy for you, man."

"Get off me."

"You, you, you really did it. I thought you'd leave and you didn't. It's great."

Hinata eased him back over onto her shoulders, "Say goodnight."

"G'night." Naruto pulled back again to whisper in his ear, "Have fun!" He giggled and ducked as Sasuke went to punch him.

They approached Sakura and apparently said something vile to her too because she managed to make impact with her hit and he crashed to the ground hard. The music stopped and everyone turned to stare at her. She stood firm. "Party's over." She announced.

Finally.

Sakura had a carriage waiting for them to take them home, being that they were still dressed in their formal attire and she didn't want to walk all the way back in the shoes she had on. Sasuke had never taken a carriage ride before but sat beside her nonetheless. She began talking about everything that happened at the party, taking off her shoes and rubbing her toes.

When she took a pause, Sasuke cut in, "What did Naruto say?"

Her cheeks instantly went red. "Nothing." She bit. "Don't ask again."

Sasuke hid a smile. It must have been raunchy. He'll find out later.

The ride was relaxing and the snow was hypnotizing to watch as the carriage brought them closer and closer to home. Sakura rested her head on his shoulder and latched her fingers with his. It was dark. No one could see so he allowed it. "Today was perfect." She whispered.

He nodded absentmindedly. He eyes were on the shadows, wondering when and where the council was hiding. It was only a matter of time now. What were they waiting for? He never dropped his guard. He would always be prepared. Now so, more than ever.

The carriage stopped in front of his...their house, and Sasuke got out coming around to reach for Sakura's hand. She looked at him confused but he kept his hand raised and so she took it. A flash of fire shot out from the carriage straight to the steps, melting the snow and revealing the sidewalk. Her bare feet touched the warm wet concrete. There was however nothing he could do to clear the stairway for they were made of wood. She dashed up the stairs on her toes crashing into the door, laughing.

When Sasuke opened the door he was surprised at the luggage piled in the foyer.

"Lee moved all my stuff here today."

He stepped into the living room. Her couch and dining table where here as well.

"I figured we could use it until we buy our own."

"Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow, what?"

"We will buy it."

Her eyes went sideways, as if she had other plans. "I'm going to shower." Sakura snatched a small suitcase and hurried upstairs.

He stared after her. Sasuke waited until he heard the door shut and then went upstairs as well. She chose the guest shower so the master bedroom was still open. He grabbed his sweatpants from the drawer and took a quick shower himself before sitting on the bed.

Then he waited.

He waited a really long time.

He paced for a few minutes, thought he heard the shower shut off, sat back on the bed, and continued to wait again. In this time, he thought about his game plan. How he was going to approach her. The first thing he wanted to do to her first. How he wanted to go about doing it. She, of course, was going to enjoy it, no matter what because he's a Uchiha and they do not fail at anything.

This time, he was quite sure he heard the shower shut off and he hurried to turn the TV on, so he didn't appear like he was waiting the whole time, impatiently.

Then he waited some more.

The door down the hall finally opened and he sat up in bed with his feet on the floor facing the doorway. His heart was thumping. His nerves were a wreck. He knew what was coming next and he didn't know how to think anymore. All ideas were fleeting and no matter how hard he tried to grab ahold of them, they were flying away. He was blank with, not only fear, but excitement as well. Emotions that were not a common trait of his were overwhelming. She was consuming him without even being in the room.

Sakura stood in the doorway with a white silk rope on. Her ring laid on a silver necklace against her skin. She was nervous. Her face gave that away. But she met his eyes boldly, watching every emotion on his face. She approached and it reminded him of his dream. But this time, he would take action and despite not having an idea on where to start or even how to start, he would not sit there like a dumbfounded fool.

She stood between his legs, looking down at him, her breath already heavy. He could make out every curve beneath the see-through silk. His hand traced up her hip, over her stomach, skimming over her breast, and gripped her neck, bringing her in to kiss him. The moment her lips touched his, he knew exactly what he wanted to do.


	11. Chapter 11

_**Author's Note: Wanted a bit more reviews, but I'm happy today, finally got a house! Moving in this weekend so I thought I'd celebrate with you and give you all what you are waiting for hehehe.**_

 _ **WARNING: Mature Audiences. Sexual content.**_

-Chapter

Sakura stood in the doorway with a white silk rope on. She was nervous. Her face gave that away. But she met his eyes boldly, watching every emotion on his face. She approached and it reminded him of his dream. But this time, he would take action. He wouldn't sit there dumbfounded and stuttering.

She stood between his legs, looking down at him, her breath already heavy. He could make out every curve beneath the see-through silk. His hand traced up her hip, over her stomach, skimming over her breast, and gripped her neck, bringing her in to kiss him.

Her hands rested on his shoulders as she brought her legs up to straddle his waist. With their hearts beating so fast, breath was harder and harder to come by so they kept parting, only to smash their lips back together in brutal haste.

Sasuke pulled at the knot of her robe and silently cursed his missing hand. It probably wouldn't be the last time he cursed it either. He had adapted to life without an arm. Even fighting had become just as simple as before but this new adventure would be much more enjoyable if he could be touching her every chance he got.

He used a bit a chakra to slice through the knot. Sakura broke apart with a gasp, "That was new."

Sasuke pulled her back to him, "I'll buy you another one." He kissed her slow, as his hand slide through the opening of the robe, gliding on her tight stomach. Her skin trembled against him. Her whole body shook, he realized. Sasuke leaned away to meet her eyes but she had them closed. His hand cupped her cheek, his thumb rubbing against her lips if only to revive her. Her green eyes slowly opened.

"Do you want to stop?"

Her brows knit.

"You're shaking."

Her cheeks reddened. But she proceeded then to remove her robe, revealing her naked form. The light from the TV was just enough to illuminate the parts of her that had been hidden from him. His eyes strayed down to her neck, her collarbone, her breasts. Her nipples were sharp in anticipation. Her stomach was sleek and thin, and hidden in the dark, was the apex of her. He leaned in, his lips caressing her neck. He could feel her bosom press against his chest and he took a deep breath in if only to calm himself. His hand gripped her breast, squeezing the plump skin and stuck the nipple in his mouth.

This was an entirely new experience and from the start, he couldn't believe he waited so long. It was decided. This was what he wanted to do for the rest of his life.

Sakura leaned back and he took it as invitation to explore her breasts further but then he felt her hand slide along his chest and down his stomach. When it kept proceeding south, he snatched her hand, shocked by her boldness.

Sakura giggled. "You get to see me but I don't get to see you?"

Sasuke smirked. She certainly was brave. But he had no intention for this night to be over so fast. He laid back, pushing her to the side. He had a whole body yet to discover. There were inches and inches of skin that had to be touch and put to memory. He worked first on her breasts, taking his time on each one. Then down her stomach, noticing how it twitched. He traveled down her left leg and before he went too far up he switched over to her other. And there he met the apex. She kept her legs closed, her thighs trembling. His hands worked them apart, kissing as he did so. She protested at first, her hands attempting to block him but with the first taste, she succumbed to the inevitable. It was here he worked the hardest, making her forget her anxiety. He listened to every moan, paid attention to every twist and and groan until he figured out exactly what she wanted.

The award was worth it.

While she recovered, Sasuke got rid of his pants and crawled between her legs. She wrapped her arms around him, resting her forehead against his shoulder. Her knees squeezed his hips. He kissed her neck, leaning back to gain her lips and delved his tongue in, distracting her, amping up her passion once more as he pressed his tip against her entrance. The moment he pushed an inch in though they both parted in a gasp, unprepared on both sides the sensations it would cause. He kept slipping further and further, his hand gripping her hair, his teeth clenching, his eyes squeezed shut till he was all the way inside. The warmth of her, the wetness that encircled him, he couldn't move, too afraid he'd lose control right then.

He thought that earlier, just touching her was all he wanted to do for the rest of his life but now, this was what he wanted to do, just be inside her forever. Live here.

Her grip did not lesson as he opened his eyes. He noticed a tear slide down her temple and he whispered in her ear, "Relax, Sakura." His voice broke whatever trance she was under because she immediately obeyed, every muscle loosening, allowing him to move again. He kissed her, distracting her once more as he rocked, slowly, softly till finally she moaned. The sound was rewarding and he nearly smiled. He shifted, listening as her moans varied depending on his position. He wanted to explore as he had explored with his fingers and tongue earlier. He wanted to find the spots that would push her over. Her hands fell above her head as she gave in and he leaned back on his knees for more momentum. But the sight of her was too much. He fell face forward in the crook of her neck, stalling all movement.

"Hold on." He panted heavily.

"What?" She panicked, "Are you okay?"

Sasuke took a breath.

"Oh." She whispered, giggling.

He rolled them over much to her surprise and she now sat on top.

Sakura shook her head, "I've never…. I don't know..how to…"

"You think I do? Just try whatever."

She stared at him for a long minute.

"What?"

"You're...You. never.. I thought.."

"No."

"I thought...Karin..or…"

"No."

"But you're so good."

Sasuke smirked, "I'm a genius. I'm good at everything."

Sakura scoffed, "Except manners. And conversation. And people skills."

He gripped her hip and made her move. She gasped, her hands resting on his chest to keep her balance. She took it over from there, learning how to move by experimenting and with courage. He watched her, almost with a focus of learning a jutsu. He simply wanted to take notice of any change of emotion, any shift of movement in case at any time it caused discomfort.

They changed positions several different times over the hours and each time she came, he marked it as a personal achievement, more rewarding than defeating any enemy in the past. It was crazy how he had spent his life chasing after pointless battles when he could have been doing this with her the entire time.

Sakura was on top of him again and he gripped her hip, once again telling her to stop. He was too close and he didn't want to stop yet despite how long they've been at it now. They were covered in sweat and the bedsheets were no worse. Sakura continued though, ignoring him, grabbing his hand as she leaned down to whisper in his ear, "With me." She said.

He slipped his hand into her hair and felt every tense muscle and when she came, he finally did too.

Sakura rested her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. It was fast and his breath was heavy. She couldn't stop smiling.

"Let's take a shower." She encouraged and she gripped his hand. He followed mindlessly and under the hot water, he held her. The ninth time tonight he cursed himself for not having a second hand. Her fingers ran up his spine. It was another great sensation.

Was there no end to what she can do? Why had he chosen to be alone this entire time when she was capable of so much?

They got out and Sasuke went downstairs to get a drink while Sakura changed the bedsheets. When he returned there was a death glare waiting for him.

"What?"

"Where's mine?"

"You didn't ask for one."

"Did you ask if I wanted one?"

As he turned back around, he realized…

This...This was why he was alone.

* * *

When Sasuke woke, he wasn't sure what had happened.

Had he slept?

He looked around. Sakura laid beside him, soundly sleeping. Her leg was draped over his and their hands were clasped. He slowly slid out and she only twisted a little bit but remained asleep. He sat up, confused.

He felt good. His whole body felt rejuvenated. He had never felt so fresh and...healthy. He was relaxed and calm. There was even a smile on his lips for no reason. He was smiling for no reason whatsoever.

Sasuke stood and put sweatpants on, walking down the stairs. In the kitchen was the only clock to the house.

2pm?

No. Not possible. He went outside and located the sun.

It was two in the afternoon. How in the hell had he ever slept until two?

On his doorstep he found a box. He picked it up and brought it to the kitchen table. Naruto's crappy handwriting was on the front of the envelope. He opened the letter, "Enjoy the honeymoon."

He hated that man.

But inside were a bunch of breakfast items, still warm. He must have brought it late this morning. Sasuke smirked. The man wasn't entirely dense.

Sasuke looked around the kitchen only to realize he hadn't gone shopping for any house supplies. He transferred any food he had from the other house and all his bathroom supplies but everything else had belonged to his mother. All plates, silverware, etc stayed there. The only thing they had were Sakura's two plates, two cups, and to-go chopsticks.

Now he understood Sakura's look yesterday. He had no intention of leaving the house today.

Sasuke took the food up and found Sakura had woken up. She smiled, hugging her knees to her chest. "Oh good I'm starving."

He set it down on his desk however and she looked at him confused. Sasuke approached and pulled the blanket away, leaning down to kiss her. She pushed him, "Let me at least go the bathroom first!" She struggled out of his grip and laughed her way into the bathroom.

* * *

They watched the sunset from the back patio, wrapped up in blankets and with each other. Though naked, Sasuke's chakra kept them both warm enough. They ate ramen from the only to-go place around, using only one pair of chopsticks.

"It's my turn." Sakura argued, as Sasuke took another bite. He handed it to her begrudgingly. She rested her head back against his chest as the sun began to disappear. "I don't want the day to end."

He kissed the side of her head.

"I have to get back to work tomorrow. I've missed two days already." She looked back at him, "I know I said I wanted kids but can we wait? I just have so much to do at work right now. I don't want to take time off."

Kids?

He was not ready for a kid.

He nodded, a bit overzealous. Thanking whatever god that's paying attention for giving him that break.

The sun was gone and the sky was slowly getting darker. His gaze drifted down toward her neckline. The blanket wrapped them so he dipped his hand inside to rest on her stomach, slipping up to-

"What's that?" Sakura pointed.

In the distance there was black smoke billowing. Sasuke analyzed the distance. It was within the Uchiha compound.

Both him and Sakura ran upstairs and got dressed before racing out of the house. It was a half a mile distance but they got there in seconds only to find a house was burning to the ground. Villagers were attempting to get water but nothing was strong enough to put out the wild flames. Sasuke performed a water jutsu and drenched the house, dashing the fire in moments but the damage was already done.

"Did someone live here?" Sakura questioned.

He shook his head, heading up the stairs and assessing the cause.

"Another one!" Someone cried.

Across the lake, right next to his own home, a house was now on fire, building momentum. He got their within seconds and quickly used the same jutsu to end the flames.

This was no coincidence. Two houses that were unoccupied going up in flames. Someone was doing this on purpose.

"Sasuke!" Sakura yelled from behind.

Sure enough a third house was on fire and he got across in time to where there was minimal damage done to this house.

The person responsible was still here. They were on the move. Sasuke activates his ocular powers searching wildily for any sign.

A huge crash vibrated the ground and he knew the cause. Sakura's mighty fist. He found her racing after a ninja and with Susanoo wrapped around him, Sasuke jumped right in front of him. He wore no insignia but had a black ribbon over his arm. He faced Sasuke with a wild rage, grabbing a kunai.

"Who are you?"

"Death to Uchiha!" He screamed attacking.

Sasuke shifted to the side, easily enough. This man was pitiple. He grabbed his arm, twisting it, about to break it. "Who do you work for?"

"Itachi killed my sister-"

"Bullshit." Sasuke grabbed his chin and forced his eyes on him. He delved into his mind hoping to find some answers but as he already predicted there was nothing but darkness.

He threw the man aside. "Get out of Konoha before I change my mind."

The stranger stuttered unsure why he had been let go.

Sasuke shot an arrow, hitting the ground beside him and the man took off.

Sakura stepped up to him, "Why'd you let him go?"

"He's a pawn. Sent by someone else."

"Who?"

Sasuke shifted his gaze toward the council building.

Was this the warning? Or the punishment? No, there would be more. It would be worse. Would they kill Sakura? He looked up at her. Her green eyes shining. Her cheeks red from the cold.

He had always had an instinctual obligation to protect her but now it was a desire. Nothing was more important than her survival. Nothing could ever happen to her.

They returned back to the house and though he knew he needed to do other things, he found himself taking her clothes off before the front door had even shut. He slammed her back against the door, not bothering to remove his shoes or pants. She responded with vigor. Though they had only spent a half hour apart, it had felt like an eternity. One hand dug in his hair, while another dived into his pants, grabbing him, pulling him out. His fist hit the door behind her as he stifled a groan. Sakura broke from his lips, her tongue travelling along his neck but she was descending fast and Sasuke rested his forehead against the door unable to stop her as she took him in her mouth. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment but the desire to watch her overcame him and he opened his eyes, observing her as her head bobbed. It was a sight he would never forget.

* * *

It was later that night that they laid in bed. The TV was on but Sasuke had his eyes at the window watching the dark. Stress was building and it was causing an ache in his gut that wasn't going away. He looked at Sakura as she watched TV. She had a soft smile, giggling at something funny. Her fingers danced on his arm mindlessly.

It was no longer a matter of staying or leaving. It was a matter of keeping her safe.

"Let's leave."

Her green eyes shot to him, "Leave?"

"Konoha."

"When?"

"Now. Tomorrow."

Her brows knit and she got quiet. He sat up and watched her. He expected more questions, more disagreement, more something but she simply sat there contemplating. He wanted to know what she was thinking about. He needed to learn her face more. He realized he didn't know her features as well as he thought he did.

Her fingers rose to the necklace, twirling her wedding ring. "That's what you want to do?"

"Yes."

"Can I ask why?"

Sasuke sighed. Despite wanting her questions to know what she was thinking, he didn't want to answer them. "Nevermind."

"I'm allowed to ask, Sasuke."

"You shouldn't have too. It's obvious."

"What's obvious?"

"What happened today, do you think that's normal?"

"I think that guy had a problem. You shouldn't have let him go."

"He wasn't the problem."

"Then who is?"

He shook his head. The fact that she still didn't understand was pissing him off. "I am a Uchiha. That alone poses threat."

"Well, I am a Uchiha now too. So I should be aware of that threat."

Sasuke pulled a shirt over his head, "You should not take my name. It will put you in danger."

"From whom? I think you've become a little delusional in thinking everyone's out to get you."

Sasuke walked out of the room.

Sakura followed him down the stairs, clinging to the railing. "Where are you going?"

Snatching his coat out of the closet and slipping on shoes, he yanked the door back, "Out." He slammed it.


	12. Chapter 12

_**Author's Note: Hiya. Hope you like the next installment. Don't forget my other fic called Continues to Beat is a sort-of sequel to this, set fourteen years later with Sarada and Boruto causing trouble and questioning their marriage. Later, daters.**_

* * *

Sasuke entered the Hokage's office. Kakashi yawned widely, his head falling back against his chair, clearly asleep. He stood there for a good minute waiting for his sensei to wake but when that didn't happen he kicked the desk, and the man popped up in surprise. He grabbed papers and pretended to be working before realizing it was Sasuke.

"I want to leave again."

Kakashi deflated. He hesitated in responding, resting his chin in his hand, "And Sakura?"

"It doesn't matter."

He shook his head, "You're not alone anymore, Sasuke. You cannot do whatever you want."

"Yes, I can."

"No. I won't let you."

"Let me?"

"Naruto and I took a vow the day you married Sakura. We will not let you hurt her. We will stop you from doing selfish things."

Sasuke slapped a hand on the table, "You, will stop _me_?"

Kakashi tapped a finger against his cheek. "In the ways that I can, yes."

Sasuke stood straight again, glaring. He spun on his foot.

"I understand that your compound was set on fire. Do you have any theories?"

Sasuke didn't speak.

"I can only protect you if you talk to me. There is a hate group forming in South Bay because of you. And there is already a big hate group in the west against you. I have eyes and ears on the Council so I already knew of their proposal that you've turned down. Do you think they were responsible for the fires?"

When Sasuke still said nothing, Kakashi got up and stepped behind him, placing a soft hand on his shoulder. "I can protect you here, Sasuke. I can protect Sakura. I cannot protect you outside those walls."

Sasuke shrugged his hand off and headed to the door, "I'm stronger outside those walls. And Sakura is not yours to protect."

Sasuke walked back home to allow the cold air to cool him down. Perhaps he was rash. If he told Sakura of the threat, made her aware, she wouldn't be so against the idea of getting out of here. His secrets didn't have to be his alone anymore. It wasn't a simple conversation though. He would have to reveal the things about Itachi too and he didn't want to talk about his brother. It always led to more crap. LIke his parents.

And death.

And loneliness-

This is why he doesn't talk about it.

Sasuke kicked off his shoes and hung up his coat, climbing the stairs. He'd have to say something to her but he hadn't figured out what yet. He wasn't the apologetic type of guy. He shouldn't have left so suddenly. He shouldn't have been so direct and flippant about the whole thing. She had asked a simple question that had deserved an answer. Any sane person would want to know why. He can't expect her to just up and leave without a reason.

Sakura was standing at the top. It was one in the morning and the lights were all on. Fear was present in her eyes. He stopped a few steps below and met her enraged face. Guilt made him drop his eyes.

"I thought you left." She whispered, her body trembling.

He shook his head.

"If you ever have to leave, you tell me. I won't stop you but don't you make me wait for you to come home and you don't. I won't forgive you."

Sasuke nodded.

She threw herself against him, hugging him. He was shocked but thankful she made it easy. He didn't think an apology would have have made through if she had waited for one. He hugged her, taking a deep breath of her hair.

A moment later, she pulled back, "Let's leave."

His brows knit.

"Let's go. Wherever you want. Let's go."

"Your job?"

She wrapped her arms back around him. "I'll quit. That's easy. You don't get it yet but I'm here for you, Sasuke. The only thing I want is to make you happy and to love you."

Sasuke rested his lips against her shoulder, "I get it."

It was the closest way he would ever come to saying he loved her. That he wanted the same thing. But she understood and kissed him hard, bringing him into the bedroom if only to show him.

* * *

Naruto stood at the exit, toeing the ground with his hands in his pockets. There was a depression in his face that couldn't be sated. He refused to look up and watch his two best friends leave. He looked like a puppy that had gotten his toy taken away.

Sakura waved in a vain attempt to get him to smile. She dropped her head, "He's miserable."

"He'll get over it." Sasuke walked carelessly, having done this plenty of times.

"I've never seen him so sad."

"He's fine."

"How can you just look away?"

He shrugged.

"Bye, Naruto! I'll write, I promise!" SHe nudged him. "Say something."

He gave a half-hearted backhanded wave.

"You're hopeless."

Once he was out of sight, Sakura breathed in a big breath and sighed, "This is so exciting!" She squealed. "Where are we going to go?"

Sasuke shrugged.

"You have to have somewhere in mind? Like I want to go to the hot springs in the Land of Spring. I hear they are amazing. Have you ever been there? OH, what about the mountains in the Land of Earth, you can see billions of stars. They have a hotel right on the edge called the Starlit Hotel. We should stay there. Although, it probably costs a ton. And since I"m not working anymore, I guess I should budget. Let's see." She mumbled to herself for a bit. "I'm good for a year at least if we don't overspend. But after that I can always get a job at different hospitals."

Sasuke zoned out. He had learned to practice this a long time ago with Naruto. He always loved to talk. It didn't matter if he was paying attention or not, Naruto would ramble for hours never looking for any validation to any of his words.

"What do you think?"

….

"Sasuke?"

Sasuke glanced at her.

"Were you listening?"

He was learning there is a difference between Naruto and Sakura however despite the obvious. Sakura wanted him to be apart of everything. And everything literally means everything.

Sasuke attempted to remember the last few words he had paid attention too. "The Hot Springs are fine."

Her brows knit in anger. She stalked ahead.

This was going to be a long, long...long...trip.

* * *

Sakura couldn't stay angry at him for long. He may not be good with words but he was getting better and better with his tongue and out here in the wild there is privacy everywhere. He had her up against a tree with her legs over his shoulders and she forgot whatever had pissed her off earlier.

He definitely liked it better out here. None of her friends, no people, no jobs, no problems. It was just them.

She had a smile on her face now as they walked into a small village a few hours from Konoha. This would be a good place to find out about any changes in power that he wasn't aware of. Nine months being inside a peaceful village can definitely make one ignorant to the rest of the world. Sasuke wanted to find that hate group Kakashi was talking about and if nothing more, eradicate them for the fun of it.

Sakura went off to look at any medical supplies that they had while he went to talk to the villagers. Most of them knew him as he had past through this village several times during his time out. They greeted him with a smile and offered him a drink.

Ten minutes he was talking to them when a commotion began in the shop Sakura had disappeared into. He glanced up as Sakura was being dragged out by a man with a black ribbon tied around his arm. He had a knife to her throat and stood in the center of the street. "Uchiha!" He yelled.

Sasuke thanked the villager, handing the cup back and slowly approached. He stopped at a twenty foot distance.

"Put all your weapons on the ground and lay down on the floor. Or I'll cut your partner's throat."

Sasuke sighed. These ribbon guys were weak and a nuisance. He needed only to find their leader and cut them off at the source. Sasuke let a kunai fall into his hand and flung it. It struck right into his elbow, pinning it against Sakura's shoulder. Her sharp cry was drowned by the man's scream. He dropped the knife, unable however to move.

Sakura pulled the knife out and spun around, pushing him down on the floor and shoved the blade against his throat.

Sasuke approached then. The stranger was gasping in pain as Sakura dug her knee into his wound. "Where is your hideout?"

"I'm not telling you anything."

Sasuke kneeled down, accessing his ocular powers.

"Dad?"

Turning around a fifteen year old shinobi exited the store with a bag of goods. Upon finding her father on the floor, she dropped them, whipping out her own knife.

Sasuke stood. "Your daughter, huh?" He pulled out his sword and took a step toward her.

Sakura however jumped in front of her and he stalled. "Just use your Sharingan."

"This will be more effective." He stated simply.

"How?"

"Step aside, Sakura."

"No."

The attacker on the floor, reached out, "Our memories get erased every time we meet. Our main objective is to capture you."

"And bring me where?"

"West. There is a tunnel by the lake of worms."

Sasuke slid his sword back into its holster. He sidestepped Sakura saying nothing.

* * *

The silence stretched after that. He didn't think it would bother him. He liked silence. Preferred silence. Basked in silence and yet somehow this silence seemed different than normal silence. It was an aggravating silence. A tension building, nerve-wracking silence.

He wasn't going to speak first. He had no reason too.

She needed to say something. She should apologize. What right did she have to come between him and his enemy? Who did she think she was? Being his wife didn't give her authority. And if she thought it did, then they obviously needed to rectify that little misunderstanding.

When the sun set, Sasuke sat against a tree.

She stood in front of him, looking down, but he had his eyes closed resting back against it and pretending to go to sleep. As if it were that easy. He heard her sigh and from there several movements took place that he ignored.

Sakura built the camp, pulling a limb from a tree down and strapping it to the floor. She tossed a tarp over it, creating the roof and used the rest to roll across the floor. Right at the entrance she built a fire, found a rabbit, gutted and grilled it and was currently eating happily.

The smell made his stomach gurgle. But he refused to speak, refused to acknowledge her existence until she apologized for what she did. He didn't need her to eat. He could hunt by himself. But then he would have to use her fire. That would be acknowledging her. Should he build another fire or was that being too petty?

"Good night."

Sasuke popped his eyes open and watched her lay down in her sleeping bag, facing away from him. There was left over rabbit sitting a few feet from him, a silent offering, but he wouldn't take it. Despite how it made his mouth water.

How could she just go to sleep? Didn't she understand he was mad? He had every right to be mad. She went against him in front of people. He had a reputation to uphold. He couldn't have his wife dictate his moves simply because she is a soft-hearted woman.

"Could you stop glaring, I'm trying to sleep?"

Sasuke shot his eyes away. "Tsk."

Sakura turned around propping her head up in her hand. "You're mad. I got it. You want to talk about it or not?"

He remained silent.

"And you say you're good at everything." She murmurs resting her head back down.

Sasuke snapped his gaze to her. "You do not interrupt me during an interrogation."

"Of a fifteen year old? Yes, I will." She sat up. "Do you like squishing ants? Does that make you feel powerful?"

"Enemies are enemies, ants or not."

"That's a lonely statement."

"I'm not here to make friends. Reality isn't as nice as your fantasy world."

Sakura stood, coming closer, "You keep telling me I live a fantasy world. In what part of that world does it involve dying babies and cutting off limbs? Watching young people die from stupid infections that I could have stopped if I had only got there in time?" Her eyes drifted to another time. "In what fantasy, is Konoha destroyed and you become apart of Akatsuki? Where I have to listen to people talk about killing you? Or where I have to contemplate killing you myself? Or where you try to kill me?" She looked at him but his eyes are on the floor. "That's some screwed up fantasy, Sasuke." Sakura scoffed and jumped into the trees.

Sasuke dropped his head back against the bark. How had this conversation turned against him? Hadn't be been the good guy in the beginning? She had been at fault. How had she twisted it? It hadn't been about her and yet now she was pissed and he seemed like the dick in the argument. He wasn't going to apologize this time either. He threw a stick at the fire.

Women are way more complex than he originally thought they were.

Naruto's little question popped in his head. 'Have you ever thought about what she had to go through to become who she is?'

Honestly, the answer was no and up to this moment he didn't think he would ever think about it. But now he was curious. What had life been like for her during his absence? How had she struggled? What has she done? What did she go through?

Sasuke ate the food she had prepared, brushed his teeth, and used a washcloth to wash his face. Then he laid down in the sleeping bag, waiting for her to return. The night only got colder and the later it became the more he grew restless but when he felt her coming, he closed his eyes pretending to sleep.

Sakura laid down, she was shaking and she curled up into the blanket facing the fire, attempting to get warm. She had made sure not to touch him in the process making it known she was still upset.

Moments he stared at the ceiling of the tarp, building up the courage to do something. But if she rejected him, he didn't think he would handle it well. He'd probably take off somewhere. But he needed to try. She couldn't always be the one to make the first move.

Sasuke touched her hip. She didn't move. That was a good thing. He shifted closer, molding into her back and holding her to him. Her shaking slowly ceased as his body heat aided in warming her up.

Sasuke took a breath. "I do not know what you've gone through. I am wrong to assume." Her body seemed to relax and she shifted to look back at him. "But it does not dissolve the fact that you interrupted me. I will not be detained or distracted when it comes to an enemy."

"I can't promise I won't do again. I won't stand by and watch you be a monster."

Sasuke was silent, staring at her. The fire lit her face, lit his face. He wondered what she saw when she looked at him. "Maybe that's all I am."

Her brows knit in sadness. "No, Sasuke, that's not all you are." She stroked his cheek, running her fingers through his hair, "You know how I know? Just think about how hard you tried to be a monster. Orochimaru, Madara, and even Itachi, tried to twist you. And you still decided that they were wrong. You came home." Sakura leaned up and kissed him. She snuggled her cheek against his, "I didn't mean to bring up anything. That was a long time ago. We've both changed." She kissed him again and this time, he deepened it, pressing her head against the ground as he shifted them. She however turned her head, breaking away, "Don't get any ideas, we both need a bath."

Like that would stop him.

Sasuke kissed her jawline, down her neck as his hand slid under her shirt, up her stomach, cupping her bra covered breast. She giggled, wiggling in a weak attempt to get away, but he threw a leg over her, denying her escape.

"Hold on." She pushed, "I want to talk about something else."

Sasuke dropped against the ground, annoyed.

Sakura leaned over him, her fingers tracing odd patterns on his chest. "Well, I'm not working anymore." She began tentatively.

"And?"

"Do you still want to put off having a baby?"

A bomb exploded in Sasuke's head.

He sat up, running a hand through his hair as he stared off blindly.

A baby? What would he do with a baby? It would cry and want attention and poop and want to eat. The amount of things that would be required of him. Life as he knew it would be over.

Where would they raise it exactly? Out here in the wild? What would it eat? What if they were being chased by bandits and it cried and gave away their position? What if they lost it?

Oh, the amount of questions zooming in his head right now was enough to cause a overload of electrons.

Sakura sat up with him and she maneuvered her face in view, "Think about it and get back to me." She smiled, seemingly accomplishing something as she laid back down away from him.

And then it hit him.

She had just gotten out of sex.

He had heard men joke about this. He never thought it would ever happen to him. He figured it was only because they failed at pleasing their partner. Why else would they weasel their way out of it? Headaches? Periods? Tired? He had been on the look out for those obvious deterrents but not this sneaky, sex-crushing conversation about a baby!

Sasuke stood, incapable of sitting still any longer.

She sat up confused.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

He waited for her to figure it out.

She rolled her eyes, "I'm dirty. I don't feel exactly sexy to have sex."

Sasuke looked up and scanned the surroundings. "Follow me."

"What?" She stood, unwilling to leave the fire.

He snatched her hand and together they went trampling through the snow.

"Sasuke, it's late. Let's go to sleep."

THey came to a clearing and found a frozen mini lake. Sakura crossed her arms, "I"m not washing in frozen water. We will stop in a inn tomorrow."

Without realizing it, he was about to show how far men can go for sex.

Sasuke made the hand signs and with a big breath of air, blew out fire, igniting the entire lake. By the time the fire burnt out, not only was the ice melted but the lake was now a temporary hot spring. He looked back at her. "Get in."

"You're ridiculous."


	13. Chapter 13

Author's Note: Not even 1 review for last chapter...I know you guys like it because it's favored and stuff...so why not review a little...just a thumps up or something..

\- chapter

Travelling alone was definitely easier. He didn't have to worry about being clean. He didn't have to worry about where he was going to sleep. He didn't have to worry about food for anyone but himself. Or perhaps it was travelling with men that was easier. Travelling with a woman was more annoying than anything else.

In the years that he traveled by himself he never carried luggage. But now, in the weeks that Sakura and him have been on the road, he currently had a cumbersome bag strapped to his back that weighed him down.

And on top of that, he had never stayed at inns but at least twice a week, she made it an effort to get them checked into some kind of bed and breakfast to wash their clothing, have a good meal, and to sleep in a nice bed.

Not to say he didn't mind it but it wasn't his idea in travelling. He wanted to stay off the radar. How could he do that when he was using his bank account every where they went?

They were currently eating a meal and she was talking. He nodded, instinctively now, paying attention to keywords incase a sudden test on his listening skills popped up. But his real attention was on the ninjas in the corner. They were whispering to each other and pointing in their direction. Young men, probably out on their first mission without a teacher. A laugh erupted from the group and one of them stood up, throwing down a straw. He was red in the face and took a last drink of his beer before drawing up courage.

Sasuke rested his chopsticks down and watched him approach.

"Are you listening to me?"

The stranger kneeled down beside Sakura and her eyes snapped to him in confusion. He had a bag full of coins in his hand and he rested it against her thigh, his fingers sliding on her leg, "Sorry for interrupting but my friends and I were curious if you'd like to ditch this guy and come up to our room. We promise a bit more fun than this one armed freak can give you. And a bit more money too."

Sakura punched him in the face and he somersaulted twenty times before crashing into the bar. She threw the bag of money at the group of guys, hitting one in the face and knocked him unconscious. "I'm married, dickheads." She pulled out the necklace from under her shirt and held up the ring. "See!"

Sasuke took a bite to hide his laughter.

The door to the cafe burst open, "We need a doctor! Is there a doctor anywhere?"

Sakura ran out after them.

Sasuke stood and threw money on the table. He approached the man covered in debris and bleeding from the mouth. He squatted down and casually picked pieces of wood off the young man as he sat up holding his face, bleeding profusely from his mouth and nose. "A word of advice. Always assume you are an idiot and weak."

"That bitch broke my nose!"

"Let me see."

The man took his hands away.

Sasuke grabbed the broken nose between his fingers, twisting. HIs screams stopped any conversation and his group of friends rushed to his aid.

"My wife went easy. Do not expect the same from me." Sasuke stood and caught the eyes of the others but they stepped out of his way, saying nothing.

He found Sakura a short distance away in a small hut on the outskirt of the village. The woman's screams were easy to follow and though it caused alarm at first he soon figured it out and stayed back, sitting at the base of a tree trunk, deciding not to get involved, and closing his eyes for a nap. He awoke, several hours later to the sound of celebration. He approached hoping only for free food.

When he arrived a group of men patted him on the back, greeting him as if they knew him. They thanked him, like he had done anything and told him how amazing his wife was. "You should have seen her." The father of the woman went on. "My wife gave birth six times and I've never seen a midwife with such know-how!"

"We got lucky today!" The husband agreed, drinking another pint of beer.

"When I learned our midwife was sick, I thought that was the end. SHe saved her."

"Come in, sit down, have a beer." Sasuke took the drink, sitting at their dinner table. The party still warred outside, all the family dancing in the courtyard to celebrate the birth of a new member. A woman approached with a plate of food, "She should be out shortly, but please, stay with us tonight. We must thank you for what you've done."

Sasuke nodded mutely though having no intentions of taking the offer. They brought him dessert and more to drink, keeping the fire nice and warm. He leaned back against the wall after filling his belly and waited for Sakura to emerge from the bedroom.

The door finally opened and Sakura had a wide smile on her face and a bundle in her arms. Her eyes were aglow and she looked down at it as she stepped toward him, "Look." She whispered.

Sasuke glanced at it but had no further interest.

Sakura touched the baby's fat little cheek with the tip of her finger, "She's beautiful." Her green eyes lifted and met his. He was surprised by the sparkle in her orbs, having never seen it before. "I want one." She whispered desperately.

With the way she looked, pure happiness blushed her cheeks and ignited her eyes, how could he deny her anything? He nodded once and she slowly walked away, humming softly as she went. He didn't understand why such a thing would make her so happy because he was perfectly content with how they were now but he remembered well his promise and if that's what she wanted, then that was what he was going to get her.

His stomach twisted in a knot. Why did he feel a ball of dread drop in his belly?

* * *

Sasuke felt he had dodged a jutsu. Months have past since they left the village with the baby and Sakura hadn't brought up the conversation about a baby again. He as sure as hell wasn't going to bring it up and as the days and weeks went by, the stress began to drift. He had been panicking the first week. The constant thoughts of what to do with a baby kept jumbling up in his head until he thought he was going to burst from so much pressure.

There were some crazy thoughts in there too, like what do babies eat? He knew breast milk but there had to be more right? They can't just live off breast milk? How would they know when it's hungry? Sure, it would cry but babies cry for everything. Would it point to Sakura's breasts when it's hungry? Or what if he was holding the baby, would it try and feed from him?

It was a sign. A sign that he wasn't ready for a baby. He needed to do research. He isn't a genius by chance. He read, trained, and battled his way to be the best. Do they have practice babies?

Sasuke handed his menu back to the waitress after he ordered.

Sakura shook her head with a polite 'No thank you' and handed over her menu.

"Why aren't you eating?"

She shrugged, "I don't want too."

"Why not?"

Her eyes shot up and she bit, "Because I don't feel like it."

Sasuke said nothing else as he took a sip of his water. She was apparently angry but upon retracing his actions the night prior that was no logical reason for it. They had sex last night and she sounded perfectly happy then. She kissed him good morning. So between getting dressed, walking down the stairs, and sitting, something had changed.

Sasuke did not care to think more about it as his meal arrived.

But then he felt Sakura's glare. "How can you eat that? It's disgusting."

He looked down at his food. It was eggs.

"You ate this yesterday."

She rolled her eyes and took a sip of her tea. Her eyes bulged then and something happened unbeknownst to him because she sprang up and ran outside.

Sasuke sighed but again grew careless. Women are strange and that he already knew. He ate without another thought.

When he left the inn, he found her playing kickball with some kids. She smiled upon spotting him and ran to him, "You ready?"

He was getting used to these mood swings. It was a sign that the honeymoon faze was over. He heard about this from other men. The woman pretends to perfect for the first six months, nothing fazes her, can't get angry about anything and then bam! She's pissed you looked at her the wrong way. And he knew this to be true because Sasuke knew she had a temper from the way she treats Naruto. He hadn't thought he would ever be treated the same but apparently the blinders of love do not last forever.

They were following a lead to the Black Ribbon hideout and were currently in the land of rivers and followed the course of one, their feet splashing in the water as they ran the length of it. The Takumi village was just ahead and when they saw the walls, they hid into the trees. "Let's find a way in." He looked over to Sakura but she was currently tiptoeing on the ground, "Sakura."

She waved a hand to quiet him. And he dropped next to her.

"I smell something really good. I'm starving."

"I don't smell anything. You should have ate back at the inn."

"Shh.." Sakura jumped up to a tree and Sasuke had no choice but to follow her. A mile south and there was a small camp of Black Ribbon members. Three of them sat around, roasting a deer. Sakura didn't wait for Sasuke to make a plan, she jumped down in the center of it. "Hey, you mind if I join you?"

They stood up, drawing kunais.

She took them all out easily, throwing them into a pile and wrapping them in wire, tying them against a tree. Sakura grabbed a big juicy leg off the fire and thanked them before jumping back up into the tree with Sasuke. She smiled wide, sitting down.

"You're being weird."

"You want some?"

"No."

She shrugged and happily ate the whole thing.

Sasuke watched the camp. It wasn't long until another soldier came along and found his friends tied up. Quickly questioning what happened and undoing the knot, they spread out to look for the intruders. But Sasuke wanted to know where the soldier had come from. Was there an entrance to the city somewhere close by? He scanned the wall but could see nothing from this distance.

He heard them crashing through the trees next to him. They were close but Sakura and him were well hidden by branches. As long as they were quiet, they shouldn't be found.

Until Sakura's snoring disturbed the air.

He slapped a hand on her mouth, waking her up.

"You fell asleep?"

"I'm tired. Let's just rest for a bit."

Sasuke was beginning to suspect something was wrong, "You slept all day yesterday."

"It was a resting day." She protested.

"Something's wrong. You should see a doctor."

"I am a doctor."

"Then what's going on?"

"Nothing. I'm fine." She sobered up, changing the subject, "Let's find an entrance."

Sasuke focused his attention on the men searching for them. He could hear them talk to each other. They were circling and perhaps they heard them talking but either way, Sasuke wasn't about to be taken for surprise. He jumped down into the camp, with Sakura at his heal, waiting for their arrival.

There was six now that came from the trees. All of them had a black ribbon on their arm and evil smiles on their faces. "We've got him." One said, "Master will be pleased."

He extended his sword. "Let's go."

Sasuke was unprepared when Sakura stepped close, leaning into his ear and whispering, "You look so sexy right now." He looked back at her in perplexity. She bit her lip, her cheeks red and her eyes shining with desire. He couldn't believe the audacity of it.

It was a distraction that the opponents took, diving off the branch and attacking. Sasuke barely dodged an attack, shoving his shoulder into his enemy and sending a jutsu of fire after him. He looked back at his wife, unsure if she was mentally stable enough to take care for herself but she seemed normal again in this instant slamming a fist into her adversary and watching him fly.

He brought his attention back, focusing once more on the fight at hand. He activated his ocular powers simply to make sure none of these baboons had any secrets he needed to concern himself with. Who ever was attempting to capture him either didn't take Sasuke seriously or wasn't trying that hard. Was he simply being lead to a trap? Why all the ninjas that were not even worth his chakra?

The one on his left had the most potential and that's the one Sasuke faced. The man stood still and prepared a jutsu. The entire ground gave way and rock began forming into hands, grabbing himself and Sakura. But Sakura wasn't pleased and she busted out within moments, slamming her fist into the hand that had him and freed him.

That's when he noticed it. Another tiny heartbeat inside of Sakura.

She was pregnant.

Susanoo took form instantaneously and wrapped Sakura up in a cocoon. She looked around in confusion but then realization hit and she placed a hand on her hip, annoyed as she watched Sasuke run through their opponents in lightning speed, slashing them down with single hits that dropped them.

Sasuke whipped his sword one last time to remove the blood and replaced it in its holster as he approached Sakura. Susanoo brought her carefully to the ground in front of him before dissolving.

Her smile was weak and intimidated.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

She waved her arm around, "Obvious reasons."

"You shouldn't be fighting."

"I can still fight."

"It's too dangerous."

"I'm not broken."

He looked her over, making sure she took no injury. The baby's heartbeat was fast but healthy. "How far?"

"Twelve weeks."

Twelve weeks that she could have gotten hurt. How many fights had they had? How many times had she fallen? How many times had she been hit in the stomach? How many times they travelled in the trees and she could have slipped and fell?

Sakura stepped toward him, but he took a step back, stopping her.

"Let's move, before others show up."

Sasuke wasn't mad.

He was just...taken off guard. He was allowed to have some personal time to wrap his brain around this new development. It might seem that he's mad due to the fact that he wasn't talking and he wasn't making eye contact and he wasn't listening but that didn't mean he was actually mad.

He wasn't mad.

When did it happen though? Why wasn't he aware of it? He tried to think of it. Twelve weeks ago. That was about the time they had left the village. Probably a week or two after that woman gave birth to the baby. So soon? So quickly? They hadn't even really talked about it. It had just been a nod, a random nod, not even a real nod, just a nod to get her to walk away.

What if he had hurt the baby? All the times they've had sex since then? Every single night, sometimes twice a day, and other stuff...with the fingers and the tongue. What if he had touched the baby?

Oh gross, what if he had touched the baby!

He didn't eat that night and he didn't sleep. He sat on a tree branch and no amount of swaying could get him to come down. He needed time to himself. He was allowed a moment. Sakura had twelve weeks to get used to the idea of being pregnant, he could at least get a damned day.

Should they go back to Konoha? No, no way would he allow his child be born there. The Council might take it. Or kill it, or do something worse. No. They would have to find somewhere else. But the fact remained they couldn't stay out here. They had to find somewhere.

When morning came, he watched Sakura from above. She made no move to get up. She slept late and so he went out and hunted, catching a deer to grill. It was after one when she popped her head up, having smelt food. She smiled tiredly. "My favorite." She whispered.

He had gathered water from the river too but she drank both reserves and he got up to fill them again. "I can do it." She chimed. But he continued walking.

When he got back, she was sleeping again.

This was definitely not going to work. They needed to find shelter. Staying in one place too long was never a good idea. He wondered where he could buy a wagon. He made a clone and sent it out to scout their surroundings.

Night approached again and this time, he laid down next to her. She popped open her eyes and sat up. "Oh no, I'm sorry." She went to stand, "Let's go, it's a full moon we will have some light."

He grabbed her arm pulling her back in. "It's too dangerous for you to walk at night."

"Why'd you let me sleep all day?" She hid her face in his chest. Her shoulders shaking, "I'm sorry. I swore I wouldn't let this affect you." She cried softly, almost embarrassed. Sakura pulled away, rubbing the water from her face, "I can't believe I'm doing this in front of you." Her lip trembled, "And it won't stop." She covered her face once more crying ridiculously heavy.

Sasuke hid his laugh as he kissed her shoulder. "It affects me. You cannot stop it from affecting me."

She sniffed and blew out air, trying to calm down. "I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing."

She nodded and took another deep breath. Her tear filled eyes turning to him, "Are you mad?"

And though before he had constantly said he wasn't, he had been. He had been mad she hadn't shared it with him. He didn't want her to keep things like that from him. They were a team now. She needed to trust him. To rely on him. To believe that he would always be there for her.

But she wasn't asking about that. She wanted to know if he was mad about a baby. How could he be? It was what she wanted and therefore what he wanted. He shook his head.

A smile spread on her lips. "So you're okay?"

The fact that she even asked while going through all these hormonal and bodily changes, was exactly why he loved her. He nodded, kissing her, calming her.

Sakura took a deep breath in and sat up. "What do you want to do? Do you want to go back to Konoha?"

He shook his head.

"Then where? I don't want to have the baby in the middle of nowhere."

"I'll think of something."

Sakura nodded, yawned and stretched out against him, snuggling into his side as she closed her eyes. "I feel better, now that you know. Like all my stress is gone."

Sasuke stared at the sky. Stress. That was the word for the weight crushing his chest.


	14. Chapter 14

_**Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews guys. We got two or three more chapters till the end. I just finished Continues to Beat, make sure you check it out, as its a sequel to this. Thank you!**_

 _ **Chapter**_

* * *

Sasuke placed a hand over his wife's mouth. Her green eyes shot open in panic and he made a soundless 'Shh' and she dropped her head back against the ground, relaxing. Her hand went to her growing belly, a reassurance that the baby was fine. Sasuke shifted into a squatted position as he stared at the ceiling. They had taken cover in an abandoned cabin to escape the rain but now, there were footsteps on the roof and it made squeals in the rafters.

Sakura attempted to sit up. She stretched out a hand to aid her balance but only ended up falling back. Sasuke rolled his eyes and grabbed her hand, helping her sit.

"How many?"

"Thirty.. At least." He stood and extracted his sword.

"How far are we from the hideout?"

"Two miles."

"I can make it if I run."

"Run." He scoffed.

"I can still run." She bit back.

He smirked at her stubbornness. "No. Stay where you are. This won't take long." Sasuke activated Susanoo and the whole cabin was crushed by its chakra. As his shape took form, the roof cracked and gave way, the walls burst, the floor cracked. Rain bounced off Susanoo keeping the both of them dry as they stared at the pack of enemies before them. The Black Ribbon army had caught up to them.

Lightning began to flicker around Sasuke's form and the sky itself responded. Lightning hit the ground nearby feeling the charge of his chakra. The ninjas looked to the sky, becoming quite concerned by the events taking place.

Raising his sword straight to the sky, Lighting ignited his blade and stretched all around them, encircling him. "Kirin." He stated and the lightning returned to the sky, gathering in a ball before forming into a electric beast, roaring as it exited the clouds and came barreling down toward the ground. All thirty were struck and electrocuted, and within moments their bodies laid quaking on the floor.

The clouds receded with the last bit of thunder and the morning sunrise greeted them to start a beautiful day.

He deactivated Susanoo and turned around to Sakura. Her mouth hung open in shock and when he stuck his hand out, she almost pulled back. A moment past before her green eyes lifted to meet his black eye and a small smile stretched on her lips. She placed her hand in his. "Easy enough." She heaved to her feet with a groan.

Keeping a hold of her, Sasuke helped her climb over pieces of the broken cabin. His attention fully on where she put her foot next, he didn't feel the eyes watching him or sense the person hiding in the trees.

"I got it." Sakura growled.

"You have gotten clumsy."

"Yeah, well, you try walking with a 20 pound beach ball in your gut. It throws off your balance."

He left her in the middle of the road to get the horse. It tugged behind a full cart covered with a tarp. He steadied the horse, feeding it some oats out of his pocket. "Get on."

Sakura began walking, "I'm fine."

He took a big deep breath, counting down the minutes until she was no longer pregnant. She was nearly eight months now and everyday was a new Sakura. Some days were great. She was typically normal and happy, agreeable and smiling. He cherished those days. He could do no wrong and it usually ended up with a night full of moans.

Then they were days that began like this. Disagreeable, completely disregards his existence, and does whatever she wants. These days never end nicely. And there is usually some crying at some point.

Sakura reached into her backpack and pulled out a banana and a piece of chocolate.

He wearily glanced at her, "We will have breakfast when we get to the hideout."

"Yeah, in two miles. I'm hungry now."

He whispered under his breath, "Obviously."

Sakura snapped, "Was that a crack at my weight?"

"I didn't say anything."

"It's perfectly normal to gain thirty pounds. I'll lose it later."

He didn't say another word.

"Are you saying I gained more than thirty?" She bit her chocolate with vigor. "I didn't, you know. It just looks like I did."

He felt it too late. The intruder in the trees. He tried to grab Sakura's arm but it was a moment of instinct and he had forgotten his arm was gone. Ropes wrapped around their necks, pulling them apart. He hung from a tree on the other side of the road, watching Sakura struggle against the rope that was strangling her. He pulled out his sword and using his chakra to extend it, he cut her rope and watched her fall to her feet.

He cut his own, catching himself, yanking the rope from his neck. She made a move to cross the street, "Stay where you are."

Sasuke activated his ocular powers searching the trees for their opponents. There were two of them, he was sure of it. They had split up, one on each side of the road. They had taken him away from Sakura for a purpose. But he did not worry. Every soldier tended to underestimate Sakura. In her pregnancy state, she was thirty percent stronger than her regular. She could damage him if she intended. He had no worries for her, except to the fact she was accident-prone with her over-extended gut.

Sakura threw her head back, a hand on her belly while another fisted. "Come out you coward!" She screamed into the trees.

Chakra lines zipped out, spinning all around her and yanked her back against the trunk of the tree. He took a step forward but stalled. The lines were at her legs and shoulders, keeping clear of her belly. It was an indication they weren't attempting to actually harm her, only subdue her. They were using her as a trap and if he went toward her, he would fall into it.

She struggled desperately against them and it cut into her skin. Blood dripped down her arms and legs.

When Sakura's eyes met his in wild desperation, he responded in an even tone. "Calm down."

Sakura took a deep breath. Her emotions had gotten chaotic lately thanks to the little fetus growing inside her but she knew when to listen to his instruction. She unfortunately also knew when to ignore it and that led to many fights over the numerous months.

Sasuke searched the sky and he took a step back, feeling the arrows approaching. Two of them dropped at his feet. They had missed on purpose. Were they sending him into a different trap now? If he jumped up, like instinct instructed were they waiting in the trees? If he stepped further back, there was a tree behind him. Were they planning to use chakra strings the same way they did Sakura?

Two more arrows came and stuck the trunk above him. It was then he noticed a strange design on the arrows. By the time he made the assumption of their purpose, he couldn't escape. The arrows shot out a force field, connecting, leaving him in a tight square box. He touched it with his hand and it shocked him.

Two strangers dropped by their cart catching his attention. A woman pet the horse gently, calming it while the other sat against their stuff, relaxed.

"Who are you?"

"No one you'll know." She replied.

They were no insignia and no black ribbon around their arm. And for some reason, he couldn't see their chakra while stuck inside this box. "What do you want?"

"Nothing." She smirked, catching his eye, "From you." She patted the horse one last time before the two of them turned from him and went toward Sakura.

He performed a quick jutsu to break the box only to find that his chakra wasn't responding. A laugh came from above. His brows knit staring at the man. A third one?

"Your chakra is inactive in there, Uchiha."

"What are you doing?"

"Just wait and find out."

Sasuke stared across the street. Sakura's eyes were twitching back and forth between the woman and man approaching her. She pulled against the strings but it only dug into her skin. If she could only get a little momentum, she could use her strength to get out but the lines were too tight. Any more pulling and the strings would slip in and strike bone.

"It's better if you don't scream." The man on her right stated, He slammed his fist into her temple, knocking her unconscious.

Sasuke once again smashed a hand against the forcefield.

"It's useless, Uchiha. You cannot escape. Sit still and watch her die."

His eyes flickered over the ground, the base of the tree, the trunk, searching for weakness. This was an impromptu forcefield. There would be weakness.

"Look." The man prompted.

Sasuke glanced up as the woman took out a knife, placing it at Sakura's belly. His heart pounded in his ears. Time stopped. The world ceased turning. How could he stop this? What could he do? Why hadn't he been prepared? Why did he ever take Sakura out of Konoha?

A body appeared on the cart, "Why such a face, Sasuke-kun?"

Orochimaru stood there with a smile on his girlish lips, glancing behind him, "Oh, it looks like you have finally gotten a girlfriend, Sasuke-kun. I was beginning to worry."

The two that were at Sakura's side turned to him, "That's Orochimaru."

His snakes shot out, breaking the arrows.

Sasuke wrapped himself in Susanoo and with his giant hands, grabbed the three fleeing victims in one swoop and squeezed. With his Sharingan and Rinnegan staring down at them, they stared frightened, shaking in his hold. He only held them tighter as they cried and screamed until their bones began to break and blood leaked out of their mouths and nose.

He dropped their dead bodies to the floor.

"Such brutality, Sasuke-kun. You didn't even question who they were. But I would never turn away a fresh corpse." Snakes slithered across the ground to swallow their bodies up whole.

Sasuke went to Sakura and cut the strings. They were embedded deep into her skin and her body was soaked in blood. He left them in, cutting them carefully from both sides and laid her down as she gave way. "You will give her medical attention."

"Will I?" Orochimaru wondered. He chuckled when he received a glare, "Such a face, Sasuke-kun. Karin is here. She will help you."

* * *

Sasuke followed the white hazmat suit wearing weirdos to the medical ward. They carried Sakura's body on a stretcher and brought her into the hospital room. Karin was sitting at a computer when they arrived. She stood and upon noticing a bleeding pregnant woman, her hand went to her hip in confusion. "What does he want me do with that?"

"Save her."

Her body went stiff and caught Sasuke standing in the doorway.

"Sasuke-kun?"

She fixed her glasses. She hadn't seen him in nearly a year and she thought she would never see him again. Her cheeks reddened and her eyes went aglaze until he walked to the pregnant woman's side. Her smile fell. Realization was like a cold bucket of water tossed on her.

"I'm not a doctor." She said firmly, coldly. "I'm just learning."

Sasuke stared down at Sakura, unable to bring himself to touch her. She laid there passed out from the hit on her head and blood already began to ruin the new white bed sheets beneath her. With his rinnegan he watched her heart beat and the baby's. It was plain the blood loss was affecting them both. If nothing happened soon…

Sasuke looked up, "I need your help, Karin."

Karin didn't reply right away and he wasn't sure what she heard in his voice. Desperation? Fear? These emotions were new to him and difficult to hide.

She responded with a firm nod, "Get gloves on. I'll need you to assist me."

It took an hour to get all the chakra lines out of Sakura's fat tissue. Some had gone so deep they had almost touched the bone. Karin wasn't as good at healing as Sakura, nearly no one was but she had the basic down and could close wounds enough to stop the bleeding. By the eleventh wound however, her chakra was running out and Sasuke set his hand upon her, to feed off of him.

She put an IV in place, set up a fetal monitor and checked Sakura's pupils. Karin rubbed the sweat from her brow when it was all finished. "Now we wait."

Sasuke kept his rinnegan activated. It didn't matter that his chakra was draining faster than he could reproduce it. It became a basic need to watch her heart.

Karin attempted to say something but she didn't know what. She went to the door.

"Thank you."

She smiled, somewhat sadly, as she left.

* * *

Sasuke was leaning over her when Sakura opened her eyes. She pulled back with confusion, pushing him away, "What are you doing?"

He took a step back, feeling rather silly, having not realized he had been so close. "You're awake."

"Yeah." She stretched and groaned, holding her head. "I have a really bad headache." Then her eyes shot wide and her hands went to her belly. A relieved sigh escaped and she hugged the bulging belly with a soft tenderness. "What happened?"

"You were injured. We are at the hideout."

"Those weird guys."

He shook his head.

"Good." She sat up, looking around the room. "Is the baby okay?"

"Yes."

"And I'm okay?"

"Yes. You had lost a lot of blood but it's been twenty four hours. You need to eat."

Sakura threw the covers off of her and attempted to stand. Sasuke hurried to the other side of the bed, "What are you doing?"

"Getting up." She grabbed his shoulder when she got dizzy.

"You should rest."

"I've been resting. Now I want to eat and shower."

She looked down at what she was wearing and grimace, "A hospital gown, really? I hate these things. I hate it worse than actually being in this place. Get me out of here. Take me to where we're staying."

Sasuke clenched his teeth and let her go. "You are difficult."

She smiled warmly, leaning to kiss his cheek, "You know what they say, Doctors make the worst patients." She headed to the door.

Karin entered at that moment only to stall upon coming face to face with her patient. She blinked and fixed her glasses, "You're awake."

"So people tell me." She held out her hand, "I'm Sakura."

Her brows knit and numbly shook her hand, "Sakura, as in, Sasuke's old team mate, Sakura."

She gave a bland smile, "That's right. And you are?"

"Karin."

Sakura's smile fell. "Oh."

Their hands fell apart.

"I remember you now."

"Yeah, me too. You. You should, um. Be resting."

Sakura mumbled, "Everyone seems to want to tell me what to do today." She forced a fake smile, "Thank you." Sakura side stepped her and went through the doors.

Sasuke stepped up and Karin gave him a look, "Is she always like that?"

He smirked and followed after his wife.

He kept a good five feet distance, close enough to keep watch in case she trips on flat ground and far enough to get out of conversation.

It wasn't until about five minutes later, she turned to him with a glare, "I don't know where I'm going."

He was smart enough to hide his humor.

Sasuke pushed the door open to their loft, letting her enter first. It was three rooms, a kitchen, living room and bedroom. It was one of Orochimaru's chambers he used to impress his rich guests. It was still however, dark, gloomy and depressing, a characteristic no amount of charm could alter when underground. Only recently had Orochimaru upgraded to electricity and only in some parts of the tunnels. The lights did help make it feel a bit less morose.

He had someone bring in all the baby furniture they had collected over the months. The boxes of diapers and supplies they had bought. He had it all set up and when she entered the bedroom she went straight to the crib. Her hands resting on it.

He ordered food, giving her a moment to control her emotions. God knows she needs a bit more than a moment these days.

Sasuke leaned against the doorway. Sakura had changed into new clothes but she pushed her shirt up over her belly so she could rub the taunt skin flesh to flesh. He could hear a soft hum as she swayed side to side. She didn't seem to notice him, lost in whatever connection she has with the growing baby inside her.

It was a rare moment he didn't mind a pregnant wife. Watching her now eased much of the stress the horrible night before had brought.

Her eyes lit suddenly and a smile spread on her face. Sakura looked up searching for him. She approached and grabbed his hand, resting it on her tight belly. He felt the baby kick in greeting. Sure enough the little child was moving all around as if it was uncomfortable. "She's hungry." Sakura whispered.

Sasuke snapped his head up. "She?"

"I think it's a girl."

"How do you know?"

Sakura shrugged. "Just do. What do you want to name her?"

He shook his head.

"I'm thinking something with an 'S'. Match us."

"What if it's a boy?"

"There are a lot of s names for boys too. But it's a girl." She said determined.

Sasuke scoffed, "You don't know that."

"Yes, I do. I have intuition."

"Tsk."

"You have no clue what that is because you're a man. I'm the mother, I know."

He ignored her and got the door as the food came. He always made sure to order extra, not because she ate a lot at once but because an hour after eating, she's hungry again. And Orochimaru's ordering service wasn't exactly like a hotel chain. They had tempers and would do awful things to the food if they ordered too often. Technically, they allowed two times a day. Once in the morning and once at night. And nothing past midnight.

It doesn't help with the ordering service is done by Orochimaru's prisoners either but can't have the best of both worlds.

Sakura took a shower after they finished eating and Sasuke pulled off his shirt and laid down on the bed. He was exhausted. He hadn't slept last night as he watched over Sakura. Now he felt the weight of all that stress begin to drain and it left only a shell. He wanted to sink into the sheets and not wake up again for months.

Despite this being Orochimaru's place, he somehow felt safer here. He knew of the fallacies here. He knew of Orochimaru's weaknesses and strengths. He knew what the man wanted and how to make him happy. The lunatic wasn't half as bad as the Council. The Council wanted everything from everyone. It wanted secrecy and yet totally dominance. At least with Orochimaru, it was very clear what the man wanted, and Sasuke could destroy him in seconds if he so wanted. Orochimaru was one man. The Council was hundreds.

And he had spent a good chunk of his teenage years here. At some point, it had become a safe place.

The tunnels were closed and secure. Not like the open air at Konoha. Attacks could come from anywhere at anytime. Here, only two men can fit through at time. It was easier to see why this place provided more defense and at a time in Sasuke's life where he needed to protect, this was the best location.

The door to the bathroom opened and the light snapped off. He didn't open his eyes. He was ready for sleep.

Sakura however crawled on top of him and began kissing his neck.

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like?" She whispered, her hand sinking down his stomach.

He snatched it before it got to his pants, "You just got out of the hospital."

"I'm fine." She whispered, her lips descending further down his chest. Her knee sank between his legs and pushed upward.

He shifted away, "Sakura."

She sat up. Her naked body present by the kitchen light pouring through the doorway. "You can go to the ends of the earth to have sex with me, but when I want to have sex, you shut off?"

The tone of her voice was on the edge between hurt and anger. He was unsure if she was still recovering, sex hadn't even filtered in his mind tonight. And yes, he was a bit tired. But he'd much rather have a night of moaning, then a night of yelling and crying.

Sasuke sat up and pulled her in, kissing her roughly. She responded in kind, her hands dancing hard over his skin, her nails digging into his shoulders to bring him closer. Her big belly however kept them distant. She grabbed his hand and brought it to her breast and he gladly squeezed it till she moaned.

She kissed his shoulder, "I want it now. No foreplay." She whispered, rubbing herself against him.

He sucked his fingers quickly before pushing them up between her legs and she gasped. But she was already ready. He laid down and Sakura pulled him out of his pants and sat down, taking all of him inside. She groaned as she did so, riding him slowly at first if only to stretch out.

Sasuke watched her. Her tempo increased within moments. Her big breasts bouncing. Her beautiful pregnant belly shining. She threw her head back moaning. He couldn't take it. It was too much.

He sat up, wrapping his arm around her to stop her, "Shit." He stiffened, keeping her still but it was too late.

Sakura looked down at him, "What happened?" It only took her a moment to figure it out, "You didn't? Really?" She whispered, dropping her head against his shoulder.

"I had a bad day." He panted against her breasts.

"Oh, you had a bad day?"

He pushed her off and got up on his knees. He grabbed her around the waist and lifted her up so she was on her hands and knees and yanked her back against him, pushing himself inside again.

"You can't-"

"Watch me."

Soon enough, she felt him grow stronger and her own pleasure started up again. Though they started off to rough start, he be damned if they finish that way. He had her forgetting about the ambush, about the day, the night, the moon, and stars, and had her thinking only about him.


	15. Chapter 15

Author's Note: Chapter is short but I'll come up with another one in a couple of days.

Chapter

Sasuke wasn't sure why but he was positive the two of them talking wasn't a good thing.

Sakura and Karin sat on the couch drinking tea and were simply chatting. At times they were laughing. Karin touched her belly. Sakura wore her glasses. They were old time chums.

And this burned Sasuke to the core.

What were they talking about? WEre they talking about him? How could they have anything to talk about? THey were enemies. They were completely different people. Would Karin share intimate details about his teenage years here? Would Sakura share his childhood memories with her? Would they bond over his lifelong suffering?

It was sick.

This friendship was sick.

How could he break it up? Multiple times he thought about approaching but he didn't want to be brought into any kind of reminiscing. He hated reminiscing. It was like celebrating birthday parties. Something else he hated to do. Or any kind of party.

Could he send one of them a note, saying they are needed somewhere? But how to make that work? He didn't have connections here yet. No allies to use.

He took a sip of his tea. Appearing careless was sure to cause a sting. They would break apart on their own once they realized he wasn't bothered by their cordial relationship. WHatever act this was, wasn't going to work.

Did they even know he was here? Maybe he should get closer.

Sakura stood and waved goodbye with a sweat wave, Karin repricated it twisting on the couch watching her leave. She approached Sasuke and leaned down to whisper in his ear, "Is she looking?"

He nodded.

"Good." She grabbed his chin and forced him to kiss her, her tongue plunging ruthlessly into his mouth unexpectedly and he almost fell out of his chair.

Sasuke's eyes were wide as she released him.

Sakura scoffed, "She's psycho. Stay away from her."

Karin stalked off and Sakura left the room.

The silence stretched as he sat there….Guess there's nothing to worry about…

The tension built from there but Sasuke, as per usual, stayed out of it. He didn't care to know why the two hated each other so much or what had spurred the insanity between them. But what he couldn't understand is why they continued to converse. Sakura spent half her day in the hospital ward helping Karin learn about the art of Medicine, mostly for Sakura's own sake for when she goes into labor, and the other half following him around, complaining about her.

It was an odd sight to see how they pretended to be friendly, greeting each other warmly, and then both cursing each other out when they looked away.

Sasuke and Orochimaru both chose not to get involved as it began to become quite a clear spectacle for the compound. The whole room would quiet when both women came into the same facility at the same time. All eyes would turn to them, watching facial expressions tight and composed, hearing fake words of sweet greetings behind eyes of pure animosity.

As Sakura neared her due date, however, her patience began to thin. Sasuke knew it was only a matter of time before the two of them snapped. He decided to take Sakura into the training room to give her something to hit. There was currently a stack of bricks available as the room was going through some changes so he positioned one on top of a balance beam. She kicked and smashed each new concrete slab with vigor. Dust and sand piled all over the floor as she shattered them.

"She's just so fake!" Sakura growled. "I can't stand it. She obviously hates me. She can at least say it to my face!"

Sasuke said nothing, simply setting up another brick for her to punch. He wasn't stupid enough to be on the receiving end of her pregnant fist. He learned his lesson four months earlier when he had ignorantly taken the bait to train. He could still feel his healing ribs. He hadn't the pride to tell her how many she broke.

"How can _you_ stand it? You hate fake people."

Sasuke remained silent. Though he did not feel Karin was fake to him.

"Say something!" She demanded suddenly.

He picked up another bag. "You are swinging too much to the right."

Sakura took a deep breath, eyeing him as she did so. She turned away, rubbing her belly, sighing out. He did not find it odd. She had been doing this repeatedly the past few days. It seemed to be a stress reliever for her. He set up another bag and waited for her to calm down.

"Seven minutes." She whispered.

That caught his attention.

"Seven minutes what?"

She shook her head, smiling. Fake smiling. "Nothing. Ready?" She pulled back.

Sasuke flashed in front of her, catching her fist, "Seven minutes what?"

She blew out air, "Just...contractions." She put her hands on his chest, "But I've got time."

His heart rate doubled. He however remained impassive staring at her. "Let's go."

"We've got plenty of time." She stated as she watched him go to the door. "My water hasn't broken yet. Let's just keep going. It's a great distraction."

He held the door open.

She surrendered and headed toward the door. "Let me take a shower first and I want to eat. And I've got to write to Naruto. Then I'll go."

It was the longest hour of his life up to date. She took her sweetass time in the shower. Had to make the slowest sandwich on the freaking planet. And it was definitely the longest f-ing letter she had ever written.

Her fist hit the table and it shattered into a million pieces.

Sasuke watched from the door, which he kept open this entire time, impatiently/patiently waiting for her to hurry the hell up.

"That was a bad one." She bit through clenched teeth. But she blew out air and slowly opened her eyes. "I'm leaving. Don't freak."

"Four minutes." He mentioned.

"I'm coming. I'm coming." She grabbed her bag out of the bedroom and passed him in the doorway, "Plus my water already broke in the shower. She's done cooking, I guess."

He shut the door and it set fire in his hand.

But he's calm.

He's good.

This wasn't stressful at all.

Karin was already prepared for them and cursing at their late arrival. He pointed to Sakura for the reason behind their tardiness and she gave some backhanded excuse, having given birth to multiple women before, she apparently was a pro and didn't need to follow traditional methods of labor.

He thought about leaving. Men don't usually stick around during this part but one, not being able to keep an eye on Sakura wasn't an ideal situation and two, Orochimaru was bound to attempt some kind of DNA extraction and he'd be damned if he let that occur. He set up a good distance away. Still capable of meeting Sakura's gaze but not close enough to get any type of bodily fluid on his person.

By the time the IV and monitors were all in place, Sakura was already to push. And that's when it began to go wrong.

" ." Karin, instructed.

Sakura's eyes widen confused.

With a quick look at the fecal monitor, Karin rushed over to Sasuke and whispered in his ear, "I think the umbilical cord is around the baby's neck."

He looked across at Sakura. There was fear in her eyes as she stared at them. Light poured on her and sweat was already building on her brow. "What's wrong?" She asked for the third time as they whispered off to the side.

"The heart rate keeps dropping with every contraction. We have to get the baby out fast."

If there was anything he's learned about Sakura, it's her determination. He had no fear in her ability. "Tell her."

Karin looked at him quizzically, unsure if she really should but followed her instructions and journeyed back to Sakura to tell her the problem. Instantly, her brow set, and she sat up on her elbows, nodding to Karin. "I'm ready." Nurses surrounded her, propping her legs up and with her gaze focused, she set to work.

It took fifteen minutes to push the baby through and Karin was quick to cut the umbilical cord off the baby's neck. The moment the shrill little cry echoed the compound, Sasuke felt himself breath again, having not realized he had been holding it. He eased back and observed Sakura's face. He was proud of her, he found. She was more amazing to him then he ever thought possible.

"Look at her!" Karin cried. "She's beautiful." She went about cleaning her up as the nurses quickly cleaned up Sakura and the surrounding area..

Sakura laid there simply breathing, staring up at the ceiling waiting for her baby and soon enough Karin brought over the wrapped bundle and set it on her chest. Sakura held her, touching her tiny little cheeks and tiny little hands. Whispering sweet words as she whined but the baby soon went to sleep, too tired to cry.

When everything was cleaned up, Karin pulled Sasuke over. "Come on, meet your daughter."

Sasuke approached slowly, unsure what he would find when he rested his eyes on the little person. Having a baby had not been an ideal situation. He had been perfectly content with the way life was going. What could a baby actually provide that Sakura herself wasn't?

And then he saw her, the tiny little creature that Sakura and him had made. She was a perfect creation of both of them. Her black hair, her tiny fingers, her little nose.

Everything that he didn't know he needed was inside her.

Sakura green eyes shined up at him. "Are you upset she's a girl?"

He shook his head, his hand slowly rising if only to touch her teeny fingers. But he kept his distance, too afraid to harm her. "I'm relieved."

"Relieved? Why?"

"Boys tend to grow up competing with their father. Hate them. But girls, idealize them."

Sakura giggled and held out the bundle, "She is going to adore you."

Sasuke was unsure if he could hold her with only one hand but Sakura helped him till she was snug against his chest. She fit like a missing puzzle piece.

"You know." Karin burst through. They had forgotten she was there. "I had a sister once. SHe kind of looks like her. Sara. That was a nickname. Sarada. Black hair like that. Of course she wore glasses like me."

"Sarada." Sakura smiled warmly. She reached out a hand and took Karin's, "It's perfect. Thank you. For everything."

Karin stared down at their hands confused but she didn't pull away. She held Sakura's hand and watched the two of them glow over their new baby. A smile pushed on her lips.


	16. Chapter 16

Author's note: Hey guys, I think one more chapter and we'll be at an end! Stick with me. Should have it out by the weekend because I want to get it out of the way.

Chapter

The glow of a new baby ended by the continuous crying, needing, and feeding. It never stopped. Everyone loved to talk about how amazing it is to bring home a new baby but no one ever says it will be the worst month of your entire life. And it certainly was.

Sasuke didn't think it was worth it. What's so great about a baby that doesn't shut up? What's so great about never having sex again? What's so great about a wife that nags about this and that and how the baby is held and when the baby should eat and how long the baby should sleep? When did Sakura suddenly become a freaking baby expert? Last time he checked this was her first one too!

But it doesn't last forever. The most miserable month of your existence passes and you adapt to a life with a baby.

The second month is a bit more rewarding. Sarada learned how to smile. Instead of staring mindlessly out into space, now they spend every moment the baby is awake making odd faces and weird sounds if only to get a smile.

Sasuke had Sarada on his legs and she was propped up, staring at him. She had already worn him down and he attempted to get a smile by sticking out his tongue but she was getting sleepy.

A knock came at the door.

Sakura and Sasuke both looked at each other in question. Sakura came and took Sarada up to move into the bedroom.

Sasuke answered the door to find Orochimaru's smiling face. "Sasuke-kun. I thought you would be pleased to learn that I have found out where your three misguided friends ventured from."

Sasuke didn't like the way Orochimaru was looking into the room. He stepped out closing the door behind him. "What did you learn?"

"The Land of Rain. They call themselves the Black Ribbon Army. They hired these assassins to get your child in order to process your DNA. An idea, I must admit, that sounds tempting."

"I was about to destroy their camp before Sakura…" He nodded, "Thanks." He pushed through the door.

"When will you be showing the child, Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke looked back at him with knitted brows.

"All of us have been waiting."

He slammed it and made sure to lock it.

Sakura came out of the room. She had put Sarada down to sleep and was currently brushing her hair. "What was that about?"

"We're leaving."

Her movements stalled. "Leaving?"

Sasuke pulled empty suitcases out of the hall closet. "Tonight."

"I."

Sasuke took note of the fear and confusion in her face and stopped his movements. "What?"

"We can't just leave. All of Sarada's stuff is here."

"She'll be fine without it." He brought the suitcases into the bedroom, setting them on the bed. At once, he began to pile in all the clothing. He didn't even think he needed any of this. But he didn't want to leave anything behind. Nothing that Orochimaru might be able to use.

Sakura stood in the doorway. "I don't want to go."

"We don't have a choice."

"What happened? Tell me what happened."

Sasuke slammed a drawl, "Just…" The baby shifted in the crib. He took a breath to calm down and faced her, "We can't stay here."

Sakura held her hands to her chest. He knew she was upset but what was he tell her? How to get her to understand? If she didn't understand yet, would she ever?

"Then I want to go home."

"You-" Sasuke slapped the clothes in the suitcase and snatched Sakura's hand leading her out of the room. He let her go in the kitchen, knowing he was going to raise his voice at some point and he didn't want to wake the baby. "You can't go home. Sarada can never go to Konoha."

"I'm not going to run away like you always do. If there is problem in Konoha then I'm going to face it. It's my home. And it will be Sarada's home."

"You don't get it. Sakura, she has my blood. She will be hunted. In Konoha, she will be hated and she will never be accepted. We need to go somewhere, where they don't know who we are."

"Where does a place like that exist, Sasuke? The war exploited us. Everyone knows who we are. The world isn't Konoha. Yes people hate you. But they won't hate her. Not for what you did. I won't let it happen."

"Konoha will kill her."

Sakura took a step back, "Sometimes, even I can't accept how delusional you've become. I'm going home. With or without you."

* * *

It was near three in the morning before she finished feeding Sarada and she laid her down in the crib standing over her to watch her fall asleep. Sasuke stared at the ceiling. All their stuff was packed and already on a coach back to Konoha with a well paid driver to see that their belongings got safely to their house. He would set this place on fire as soon as they walked out to rid it of any fingerprints, skin fibers and hairs that went uncleaned.

The Black Ribbon Army didn't bother him as badly as Orochimaru had. He had perhaps forgotten what a twisted mind he possessed. Living here in this underground chamber for so long had made him weak to enemies. But when a snake slithered its way into his home, he woke again.

Sakura laid down beside him and snuggled into his side. He didn't want to talk to her. They were heading back to the place he had run from. What was he supposed to do about the Council? Pretend they didn't exist?

"I made Sarada smile." She whispered.

"Hn."

"Want to know how?" She sat up and made a crazy face.

He smirked.

Sakura giggled, "I think she's got your smile." She whispered.

Despite being so angry before, he felt it all dissipate now as she rested her head upon his chest. His arm wrapped around her and her fingers spread out over his stomach.

"I don't know what you see, that I don't." She began. "But I'll protect her from everything. I've never been so sure of that in my life."

Sasuke sat up, holding his head in his hand. Sakura came up behind him, resting her head on her shoulder. "Just tell me." She whispered.

A year ago, telling her anything would have been impossible. But now, he found himself wanting to tell her everything. It wasn't just that she deserved to know. He simply wanted her to be a part of him that no one else was. She was already an extension of himself. It only made sense that she knew all his secrets just like he knew all of hers.

"It always comes back to my brother." He stared at the carpet, seeing a past that she was a not a part of. "I don't want something like that to happen again."

"How could you think that could happen?"

"There are people out there, Sakura that fear the Sharingan. They convinced my brother that my clan was going to attack the village and so Itachi killed them all based on that simple lie."

"I read the history, Sasuke. It said it was a mistake."

He scoffed, standing up. He almost didn't want to continue. Her ignorance pissed him off. "It wasn't a mistake. Those same people still exist. They kept me out of prison and they are watching me. And they are watching you and they will watch Sarada for the rest of her life."

"How do you know this?"

"Itachi told me himself."

She was silent and he turned to her, her gaze on the blanket, "But you killed him."

"Before I knew." He murmured, returning to bed and laying out beside her, his eyes on the ceiling with a hand under his head. She stared down at him. "I saw him during a Reanimation Jutsu. He told me everything. I thought he had left me alive to kill him but the truth was he couldn't kill me." Sasuke could see his brother's face even now. "He told me he didn't care what I did. Who's side I was on. I was his brother. It's one of the reasons I was able to come back. It's what he wanted."

He snapped his head down when she sniffed loudly. She hid her face behind her hand but tears were dripping down her chin and soaking into her thighs.

"What?" He questioned bewildered.

"That's just so sad."

"Tsk." He scoffed.

"All that time you spent chasing him," She whined between tears, "And he kept you alive because he loved you."

"I didn't say that."

SHe smile through her cries, "He loved you."

"Shut up."

Sakura wiped her face with the blanket, laying down next to him, sniffing as she calmed down. The silence stretched after that but Sasuke couldn't find sleep. He was thinking over and over again of his last moments with his brother and how long ago that had been. He missed him so much it ached. But it helped to have family. To have a wife and daughter to fill the void that used to be so big.

"It won't be the same. You know why?"

The answer was obvious and on both of their minds. But Sakura said with an reassuring smile. "Naruto."

"Hn."

Sarada began crying and they both groaned, before shouting, "You're turn."


	17. Chapter 17

Author's note: Well guys we made it. It's the last chapter. Hope you liked everything! Be sure to check out the sequel to this, Continues to beat. It's caused some controversy simply because I think people take things too seriously. This is all for fun, relax and enjoy life guys. Love ya! peace.

\- chapter

Sasuke stifled a yawn as they approached Konoha. Years of endless insomnia had not prepared him for a life with a baby. He didn't understand it. It's like babies have the ability to suck all forms of energy. Maybe they are chakra drainers. He had never felt so tired and he had gone days before without sleep. How people went on to have more than one kid he'll hope to never find out.

When the gates appeared in the distance, the tension in his shoulders seemed to only strengthen. He began looking for danger everywhere as if the Council would be so bold to send arrows at him in broad daylight. He knew they were subtle, he knew they would sneak and stalk and wait under the cover of shadows. He simply no longer felt safe here and yet, this is where he brought the two most important people in his life.

Naruto greeted them at the entrance. He was running toward them like a big stumbling puppy. But upon spotting a baby in Sakura's arms, he tripped over himself and face planted in the road at their feet. It took him a moment to pop back up and he pointed, "Um...Where'd you get the baby?"

Sakura punched him, knocking him back into the ground again, "It's mine, idiot!"

Sasuke tentatively reached for the newborn, unsure if Sakura was aware she was holding her. She however turned a dangerous eye, yanking the baby back. A protective mother grasping tight to the bundle in her arms.

"What!" He screamed jumping to his feet, "You guys had a baby! Why didn't you tell me?"

"I've been sending you letters."

He scratched his head, "I haven't been getting any letters."

She shook her head, caring little.

"I have something to take care of." He announced boldly and their attention swiftly went to him. "It will take a few days, a week at most."

The upset on her brow was tangible and for a moment, Sasuke thought she was going to hit him too but she tucked the other arm up under the baby and nodded. "Okay. I'll stay with my parents."

Despite Naruto being a few feet away, Sasuke stepped up and placed a hand on Sarada's soft hair and leaned into smell her head. He didn't know if all babies smell like her but she had an addicting scent. Sasuke glanced back at Naruto. "Don't let him hold her."

"Hey! I have my own baby. I don't want to touch yours anyway."

Sakura responded, her voice fading as he walked away, "Why wouldn't you want to hold my daughter? She's amazing."

It was awkward, how hard it was to keep walking. He felt like he was cutting another arm off and abandoning it. His stomach twisted. His heart pounded. His chest nearly caved from the pressure. Was he panicking? Naruto was there. As long as he was around, his wife and child were safe. He knew that. So why, why did it feel like this?

Sasuke jumped into the trees and at a pace faster than he had ever gone, he raced to the Land of Rain. He didn't want to feel anything but exhaustion. He didn't stop in the hours that it took and let every muscle strain until he thought his legs were going to give out.

He found the band of the Black Ribbon army the next morning. With some coercion, he was able to find the leader in the center of Rain, far beneath the drenched city. As he figured it was some ill-begotten fool with a grudge. It was all too easy to dismantle the entire platoon, despite how large their numbers. He stepped through the underground facility, going around bodies, ignoring anyone that cried out in pain. His eyes scanned the medical lab. They were being funded by somebody else. Someone with a lot of money. It was discouraging to witness. They were the ones that were going to kill Sakura, dig out the fetus from her stomach and take his unborn baby. Fire ignited, raining down through the corridors and anyone left alive struggled to get out. As Sasuke left, he could hear their screams through the black curling smoke.

He was slow returning. He couldn't very well hold his baby with blood on his hand and clothes. He stopped in a village somewhere and bought new clothes and stayed at a hotspring to recuperate.

Who had enough money to fund something like that?

The only answer was an obvious answer.

Konoha.

But would they be so bold to do something like that? As he sat in the hot water, hoping to boil away the ill effects of death, it was a hard question to answer. Part of him wanted Konoha to be home. Why would Itachi sacrifice so much for it, if it betrayed him? But Sasuke had come to an understanding a while ago. Just because a group of old men behind the scenes are making choices and deciding rules, they didn't make up Konoha. It's the people in it. It's what Konoha represents. It's what the village holds.

And right now that village holds his family.

Sasuke thought about sleeping here, but anxiety got the better of him. Once he started running he couldn't stop. Only a day and a half without them and he was a mess. How would he ever go on a mission? How do men and women leave their families? Do they just get used to it? It becomes second nature somehow?

When the gates came in view, his heart increased. It was the middle of the night nearing four or five in the morning. He didn't care. The guard at the gate recognized him and called to him but he ignored the soldier, running faster still. It was a need now. A need to know that they were alright. That nothing had happened. Why had he gone away in the first place?

Sasuke slipped into her parents' home, silently stalking up the stairs and delving into each room. When they came up empty, he was forced to wake them up which only led to screams and her father clenching his chest as he panted in reply. They told him she had gone home. But where was home? Her apartment? Or their house?

He took a chance and went to the house. And upon entering the baby's room and finally seeing Sarada, all stress seemed to die. His hand clenched the crib. He couldn't believe how emotional he was. He was thankful. Thankful she was alright. She twisted and gave a soft little moan. He lifted her, a practice motion with his one arm and had her tucked into his side. She curled into him, peaceful and asleep. Sasuke sat in the chair and simply stared at her face.

Sakura stood in the doorway. He could feel her eyes on him but he didn't want to take his gaze away from her.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yes." He whispered lightly.

She smiled. "Did you miss us or something? You were only gone for like 2 days."

"Hn." After a time, he lifted his head, "I think I might have given your father a heart attack."

Her happiness fell.

When morning came and Sakura finished feeding Sarada, she went for a walk to visit her father, if only to make sure Sasuke had actually been joking, something she still wasn't sure about.

Sasuke tucked Sarada into a portable carrier before he left the house himself. The first thing he heard, was children's laughter. It peaked his interest and he rounded his house to approach the lake behind his house. Across the way was the Uchiha Compound playground. Since he had been seven years old, no kids had played on it again as parents refused to bring their children to a cursed location. He didn't know what the feeling was when he saw so many families playing there this morning with the sun shining down on them. But it was something new. Something to do with being proud. Sarada would not know the things he had known. He would make sure of it.

He journeyed around the complex, to see if there were new occupants. He was discouraged to learn Nao had passed away. His small house was vacant and land unkempt. But as he moved on, he noticed more houses had been occupied. Their lands cleaned and their names written on mailboxes. He climbed the hill toward his family's home. He was upset that no one had taken care of the property but he had forgotten to assign someone to do it before they had left a year ago. They had left too suddenly.

Stepping up to the door, he stopped and set Sarada's basket on the floor. There was a sign on the door. 'Condemned. Do not enter. Safety at risk." He knew that the house was in need of some repair but not enough to condemn it. He was sure the council had something to do it as they had to do with everything. He yanked the paper off throwing it to the side before opening the door. He took up Sarada's carrier and stepped in. "I'm home." He murmured to his family's ghosts. The smell was of mold and mildew and it had a familiar shiver that he had tried so hard to demolish while he had lived here. He removed his shoes stepping further in. Someone had come in here and removed all the posters he had posted detailing his clan's history. They were piled up in a corner. Every step he took to make this into a museum had been undone. It now seemed like an abandoned house, left behind in the middle of dinner.

Sasuke kept moving, shoving a door aside and wincing when it fell over. He stepped out into the backyard. Wildflowers and weeds had built up so high it was nearly to his waist and he lifted Sarada high as he trotted through it until he arrived where he had needed to come. His family's graves.

He set Sarada down in front of them before he kneeled in the grass and bowed, touching his forehead to the floor. She shifted and stretched, making a slight moan in greeting and Sasuke felt a soft smile shift on his lips. Could she feel them as he could? Did she know she was loved by people she would never meet?

He straightened his back and looked toward the sky. Despite not wanting to come back, he was glad he was here. Home was a strange word to him that brought different meanings and a variety of feelings but he was beginning to make sense of it. It was no longer a place. It was Sarada. It was Sakura. And he needed to do what he could to keep them safe.

He heard footsteps behind him and soon Sakura kneeled beside him and bowed as well. He waited until she finished to look at her. "I have to meet someone." He rose and left them.

The Council hall was the same as when he had left it over a year ago. Dark, dank, and gloomy. He sat in the chair at the table and waited as all the members of the Council gathered having been unprepared for his visit.

"Sasuke Uchiha. We are pleased to have you back so soon."

"I want to make a deal."

"We already have a deal with you, Uchiha and it doesn't seem to be worth it."

Another one chimed, "I believe we attempted to barter before and you shot us down."

"Yes, why should we listen now?"

"I will work for you."

There was a silence.

"In exchange?"

"No harm will come to my wife or child. Ever. No experiments. No DNA data. Nothing."

"Your child is the first in the Uchiha line. She could possess-"

"Nothing."

There were whispers to each other. It went around in a full circle before it landed on the extremely nice one Sasuke deeply hated.

"Deal. We are perhaps getting the better end of this bargain. We had no intentions of touching your family. It seems your paranoia has gotten the better of you now that you are father. Don't feel too foolish, it happens to us all."

Sasuke stood.

"Wait. Our desires."

He clenched his fist.

"We want you to infiltrate the nations and gather their most private details."

His brows knit, "We are at peace with them. Why-"

"The thing about peace, Uchiha. It doesn't last."

"Which nation?"

"All of them."

"That will take years."

He threw up his hand, "And you had just gotten back. Say your goodbyes quickly. We want you gone by morning."

Sasuke turned and met a masked Ninja. They handed him a manila envelope full of paper.

"Explain to your wife the delicacy of information, Sasuke-san."

He needn't look inside to know they were all the letters Sakura had sent to Naruto over the past year. He snatched it out of their hand and stalked out.

Sasuke was slow to go back home. How was he going to tell Sakura he had to leave? Was this going to cause them to fight? He didn't want that. He didn't want the last words from her to be anger. He felt stuck. Like no matter what he did, Sakura and he were never going to have it easy. He wanted to go back to their first day of marriage. The first and only perfect day.

He opened the door and knit his brows in confusion. Candles decorated the hallway. He followed the pathway to the living room and there Sakura stood. She had makeup on and her hair was done. She wore a beautiful sunflower dress. She seemed refreshed, smiling and excited. He glanced around for the baby.

"She's at my parents." She answered his silent question with giddy excitement.

...No baby…for the first time in over two months...

They both met with vigor, attacking each other, ripping clothes, and falling to the living room floor. They made love there and at the kitchen table and on the steps and in the shower. It took hours and it was perfect.

He was sleeping when he felt her move against him. "Again?" He mumbled unsure if he had it in him.

She giggled. "I got food."

Sasuke rolled over and grabbed an eggroll. He was starving. "What time is it?"

"Seven in the morning. Our first night without the baby. I feel like I'm missing an arm. Should I call my parents? No, right?"

His chewing slowed. Time had gone too fast. How was he supposed to tell her? Worse yet, how was he supposed to leave?

He took one last bite and sat up. He watched her for a moment. She was eating from a carton of ice cream and not even looking guilty. Sasuke got out of bed and put on a pair of pants. He was in the process of putting on a shirt when she asked, "Where are you going?"

He put the shirt over his head, "I have a mission."

Sakura put the ice cream down, "Already?"

He disappeared in the bathroom for minute to brush his teeth and if anything else, stall. What was he going to say next?

Sasuke came out. She was sitting on the edge of the bed in a nightdress, looking as small as possible. He sighed.

"How long?"

There was no way to answer that so he didn't.

Sakura nodded. It was becoming clear that it was going to be a long time. She rubbed her face and looked up with a smile. "Have a good trip."

Sasuke walked out of the room.

And though it may have seemed easy, the weight of the world pushed against him and every step down the stairs felt like knives in his body. He struggled to raise his arm, to twist the knob. It was impossible.

Her footsteps pounded down the stairs and the weight vanished. He turned around to catch her as she flung herself at him. He held her for an eternity. He took in every part of her. The way her hair smelled, the way her skin felt, the strength of her hands, the weight of her body against his. Everything that he hadn't thought to take to memory yet, he wrote it down in the very private part of his Soul to keep with him.

"How." She whispered, tears in her voice, "How am I going to raise Sarada by myself? She needs you. I need you."

He swallowed, "Tell her, there is no place else I'd rather be."

"I know." She nodded, rubbing her face. "It doesn't make it easier. But I understand." Sakura pulled away, keeping her face bowed, ashamed of her tears.

Sasuke kissed her one last time and walked out the door.

He didn't look back unsure he would be able to leave if he did. He had never any trouble leaving Konoha. It was always a place that reminded him of all that he had lost. It held the pain of his troubled past. It carried the betrayed blood of his ancestors. Konoha had stopped being home for a very long time.

Now, it held his future and he didn't want to let it go.

Naruto ran up beside him walking backwards if only to face him. "Where you going?"

He eyed him, wondering how he always knew when he was leaving. "A mission."

"I haven't heard of any missions."

"Perhaps you aren't paying attention." And with that, Naruto backed up into a trash can and landed on his back.

Sasuke kept walking.

Naruto ran to catch up. "You're leaving Sakura? And the baby?"

Sasuke didn't reply. It was a sore issue.

Naruto grabbed his shoulder, stopping him, "I'm not letting you leave."

Sasuke snatched his hand, twisting it. "You want to protect Sakura? Then do it. Become Hokage and fix this damned village." He shoved him back, making him fall.

Naruto stared after him, wondering if there was something more he wasn't seeing.

Sasuke stopped at the exit. There would be no going back after this. He didn't know when he would return. Years perhaps. His daughter would grow without him. He wouldn't be there for her first steps. Her first words. She wouldn't know him and he wouldn't know her. His only wish was that she didn't resent him.

"Uchiha Sasuke?" A little boy called, running up to him.

He took the piece of paper awkwardly and opened it.

A picture of Sakura holding the baby and small piece of paper, "I love you."

He smirked and tucked into his cloak. He took a step forward, finding it wasn't as difficult as he thought it would be.

-The end.

Sequel up and finished called Continues to Beat.


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